Conditions and references

The single-story house in Barbeita is built on a plot with a slight northward slope. However, the plot has no other references besides the gate that provides access and the alignment of the boundaries with neighboring plots. The Franqueira Mountain, to the northeast, in Galicia, was the reference in the landscape, albeit distant, in the conception of the architectural project.

The project

It was understood that the building should structure the plot, reference it, and organize it through its volume and the choices in the exterior arrangements. It should protect the outdoor space from prevailing winds and favor the conditions for better enjoyment of the outdoor pool. Therefore, the house was placed near the northern top of the property, to free up outdoor space with good solar exposure.

Thus, the house in Barbeita develops around an elevated lawned space. This space is outside the organizing axis of the ensemble and corresponds to the access path to the house, from the street.

The volume of the garage, located on the opposite side, integrates and completes the composition of the south facade of the house, through the extension of the canopy that protects and shades the living room and the entrance to the house. The pool occupies the area to the south of the house, exposed to the south and sheltered from prevailing winds. This positioning allows for full use without any detriment to the living experience in the interior spaces of the house. The extension of the east wall of the house, to the south, contributes to the comfort and privacy in the use of the surrounding pool area. Behind it, the pool support facilities are placed.

The interior organization

The interior organization of the spaces is arranged according to two wings, forming an "L". One wing houses the living room and the foyer, exposed to the south. The other, to the west, accommodates the bedrooms. The kitchen and dining room act as a hinge between the two wings, being naturally lit from the east and west.