Manel and Montse’s house is located on a plot near the town center but due to the urban planning constraints there is little separation between neighbors. The clients requested a single-story construction. Unable to achieve long-range views, the house is conceived as an introspective retreat, where traditional construction and modernity converge in an architectural dialogue.

The project is organized around a contemporary impluvium — a rectangular central courtyard connects the four wings that compose the house. Far from being a mere residual space, this void becomes the vital core of the home, allowing filtered views through the surrounding spaces.

Access is via the north façade, through a corner entrance hall. From there, the home unfolds in a gradient of privacy that culminates in the master bedroom, located in the opposite corner. The south wing, designed as a semi-open porch with roll-up wooden shutters, filters the light and creates a transitional space between interior and exterior, blurring the boundaries between public and private.

The pilastered façade made of traditional solid brick resolves the building’s structure, connected to a series of wooden beams set perpendicular to each wing. The typical catalan perforated brick is used to interlace the pillars and offer a breathable cavity wall that defines the building’s skin. Inside, the material palette is equally simple: polished concrete flooring, exposed wooden structure, and ceramic walls coated with lime mortar.

The central courtyard not only organizes the space but also helps regulate its climate. A strategically placed hackberry tree acts as a bioclimatic regulator, allowing sunlight in during winter and providing cool shade in summer. Traditional wooden shutters with horizontal slats, inspired by vernacular architecture, run along the perimeter of the house, adapting to seasonal changes. The ventilated façade of perforated brick and the controlled humidity of the plastered ceramic walls help improve comfort during the warmer months.

La Montse and Manel's House

Organizations you may want to check