We are working with a ten-thousand-square-metre plot that slopes from north to south, with a stream that must be crossed to enter the property and an existing stand of trees: tall-canopied pines on the lower southern part of the site, and holm oaks on the flatter northern area. It is here that the holm oaks are scattered across the land, creating clearings between them and determining the position of the house towards the south —the best orientation— while reserving the north for direct contact with the open countryside. The result is a house that reveals itself gradually as one approaches along the side of the plot, organised according to a logic that is simple to describe but difficult to execute: walls that establish order, and voids defined by the existing trees that become inhabited spaces.
Siting the House
We enter from the south, at the lowest point of the site, passing through tall-canopied pines and crossing an existing bridge to the other side of the stream. From there, the land rises towards the north, where it becomes flatter, and it is here, among the holm oaks, that the house is positioned. The key design decision precedes any drawing: rather than clearing the site in order to build, the house is inserted into the gaps between the existing trees, adapting itself to what is already there. The house develops around the clearings facing south, free from tall tree canopies that might block the light, allowing the winter sun to enter.
The Ribs and the Structure
The house is organised around a series of concrete walls arranged like ribs running from east to west. The rooms are positioned between them, opening both to the south and the north in order to capture winter light and frame the best views: the sky and the pine trees seen from above. Resting on these walls is an exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure.
A Single Storey at Different Heights
The entire main floor remains at the same level; the terrain does not. As a result, this single level meets the ground in two very different ways. To the south, the house rises above the terrain, offering a broad panorama across the site —the pines seen from above, their canopies at eye level. The porch, terrace and swimming pool are elevated above the ground, forming a kind of lookout. To the north, by contrast, the same floor meets the land at ground level and opens onto a garden of holm oaks, embraced by the building like a courtyard. Two different relationships with nature from the same level.
The Entrance and Staircase
The entrance leads into a circulation space that connects the three floors: the main level, containing the shared living spaces and a triple-height volume; the upper level, with a study and access to the roofs; and the basement, containing the games room, garage and guest area. From the entrance there is an immediate visual connection with the south-facing porch. The staircase, visible only in sections, rises and disappears between the walls, conceived with a distinctly sculptural quality. Each window, meanwhile, does not frame “the landscape” in the abstract: it frames specific trees.
The Kitchen, Almost Buried
Two wings extend from the main axis of the house, enclosing the courtyard space. One of them contains the kitchen, with an informal dining area and direct access outside. As the main axis of the house sits at level zero, this volume gradually becomes embedded in the terrain towards the north: the window sits almost at ground level, slightly sunken, with the vegetation appearing to enter the interior.
The Living-Dining Room, the Hinge
The living-dining room acts as the link between the public and private areas of the house. It is a symmetrical space between north and south, with large glazed panels that disappear into the walls: when opened, the room ceases to feel like an interior and instead functions as a porch, simultaneously open to both orientations. At its centre, a built-in shelving unit —developed collaboratively by the architecture and interior design teams— separates the different areas. No space is disconnected from the exterior: each room either opens directly onto it or connects to it through a porch.
The Bedrooms
The main bedroom is fully exposed to the landscape while remaining sheltered among the trees. Slightly elevated and very open to the countryside, it is screened by the canopies of the holm oaks, which provide privacy while bringing the vegetation visually into the room. Its large windows share the same sculptural character as those throughout the rest of the house. The bedroom includes a dressing room and bathroom, and the bathroom itself can also open completely to the exterior, with walls finished in Mortex. In the other wing of the house, a second wall organises the children’s bedrooms. At the northern end, a sitting area opens directly onto the surrounding countryside.
The Upper Floor and Roofs
The upper floor contains a study with a terrace overlooking the landscape. The roof above the living room is accessible and functions as another lookout point, offering yet another way of inhabiting the site. Throughout the house, the same idea is repeated: every room has its own connection to the open air.
