What was the brief?
A semi-detached house on the outskirts of Seville, built in the late 1990s, constituted the pre-existing condition from which we were required to create a multipurpose space in close relationship with a private, landscaped courtyard. Emptying, perforating, connecting, and carving were the strategies we followed to link these spaces, making them more porous, more permeable, and more indeterminate.
We relied on a new shading structure to extend and transform a transitional threshold into a new inhabitable space, stretching a boundary to the point where the distinction between exterior and interior dissolves, ultimately blurring the original function of both.
What were the key challenges?
The main challenge lay in working with a constrained pre-existing structure while seeking to fundamentally transform its spatial and environmental qualities. The original slab limited both height and continuity, so removing the concrete hollow blocks required careful intervention to preserve structural integrity while gaining usable volume and redefining the ceiling plane.
Another key challenge was establishing a meaningful relationship between the interior and the private courtyard. This involved selectively opening, carving, and connecting elements of the existing envelope without compromising privacy or climatic control, achieving a balance between openness and domestic intimacy.
Material coherence was also critical. Introducing natural, breathable materials such as lime mortar, clay, and timber demanded precise detailing to ensure durability and compatibility with the existing construction, particularly in terms of moisture behavior and junctions.
Finally, transforming a transitional threshold into a truly habitable space required rethinking conventional limits between inside and outside, both spatially and atmospherically, so that the resulting environment would feel continuous, adaptable, and comfortable throughout the year.
What materials did you choose and why?
The material strategy is based on enhancing spatial quality while improving environmental performance through low-impact, natural solutions. By removing the concrete hollow blocks from the existing slab, we exposed the structural depth of the ceiling, gaining additional height and usable surface. All continuous surfaces—except the floors—were then finished with lime mortar, a porous material with high thermal inertia that passively regulates humidity and stores heat, improving the hygrothermal comfort of the space.
The palette is deliberately restrained and locally sourced, ensuring a low carbon footprint. Low-fired clay flooring provides a breathable, tactile surface, while timber is used in floors, hinged fronts, and sliding elements to introduce warmth, adaptability, and constructive continuity. Together, these materials reinforce a cohesive, sustainable, and sensorial architectural language.
