San Josep Villas / studio mk27

closed

Whitewashed wooden panels embrace the indoor spaces, where a mix of sleek and rustic furniture pieces wrap the cozy atmosphere. A collection of Scandinavian chairs and lamps add color and texture to each ambiance. Natural wood and fibers highlight the plain finishes and create a dialogue with the vegetation around them.The bedrooms, positioned orthogonally around the living room, open themselves either to the sea view or to private patios. The house on the valley has one bedroom located on an upper floor, which allows it to look further into the horizon.Around the piazza, four modules are organized in different axes, creating almost no corridors for the houses' circulation. Three modules for bedrooms, one for the kitchen, which, in turn, can be fully integrated with the central space or closed.Retractable wooden sunscreens act as a filter for light and intimacy. The mashrabyas, an Arab heritage adopted in the Iberian Peninsula, are redesigned in a simple checkered pattern to constitute immense sliding doors but also as fixed panels that enclose the bedroom's private patios.The thick white walls double as a canvas for the dramatic shades drawn by the Mediterranean sun and clouds. Moving shades delineated by the garden add texture and tactility to the pale facades.Text description provided by the architects.MK27's first private houses in the Mediterranean pay homage to the scenery and the know-how of local vernacular architecture. The four white volumes, distributed over a 33,000 sqm terrain, host two houses and two flats. They were settled with respect to existing walls and plateaus, favoring water retention for the local arid gardens, and completed with two common swimming pools to enhance the site experience.All structures are designed to open themselves to the infinite landscape. The upper house benefits from a wide sea view, and the lower one immerses itself in the valley bottom, embraced by the gardens. With a cross-shaped floor plan, the houses are articulated around the "piazza" figure, represented by the living room. The living room can have two faces completely opened and recessed, and is accessed by a lowered patio that gradually unveils the sea view. Closer to the pool, the ceiling dissolves into a concrete pergola that shades a convivial terrace.MK27's San Josep Villas in the Mediterranean are an example of modern architecture seamlessly blended with traditional architecture. The design is respectful of the local environment and heritage while delicately inserted into the topography. The dissolving envelope, walls, and ceiling that disappear are a strong pitch for letting nature play the main role.