House in Les Rotes
The house is located in the coastal area of the Les Rotes Natural Park (Dénia), about 100 meters from the Mediterranean Sea.
We started from the idea that it should be a smooth, continuous construction integrated into the landscape, with few edges and abundant vegetation both outside and inside.
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To do this, we respected most of the pre-existing trees on the plot and used a two-story volume that curiously looks out to contemplate the Mediterranean Sea between the neighboring houses. Likewise, we considered the impact of the house on the Natural Park, achieving a balanced visual integration with its surroundings.
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The envelope of the house is maximized for heat exchange with the outside, always seeking a southern orientation and panoramic views to the east. The main floor is elevated on the first floor and, as in a boat, we access the rest of the rooms on the lower floor, through an organic staircase that sprouts from the interior pond.
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Vital importance has been given to the interior and exterior circulation of the inhabitants, which fluidly connect the volumetric forms with the exterior garden. Special emphasis has also been placed on heat capture/protection through the south façade, on the cross ventilation that threads through the interior of the house and on the creation of vertical ventilation between both floors thanks to a thermal chimney (skylight) enhanced by the sheet of water from the lower pond. All of this successfully contributes to creating a very pleasant interior environment both in winter and summer, minimising the use of heating and air conditioning.
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It is a biophilic design project in which, in addition to plants, natural materials have been used, such as black cork for insulation, oak timber, locally sourced stone and healthy finishes without emissions of volatile organic compounds or formaldehyde.
Wastewater is reused thanks to a total oxidation treatment system and rainwater is collected through the gargoyles on the roofs and stored in an underground tank to use in the garden. In addition, there is a natural swimming pool that is purified through a bed of gravel and aquatic plants, which contributes to increasing the biodiversity of the environment.
