When the family first showed us the plot, they did so with some skepticism. “Are you sure a house can fit here? It’s such a narrow site,” they said. But beyond these doubts, they also understood that this parcel offered the chance to change their lives, and they trusted us with the challenge.
The plot was one of the narrowest and longest we had ever come across: just 3.80 meters wide, flanked by very tall neighboring houses. Yet it also had excellent orientation, a large courtyard, and a family determined to build a home that would bring them closer to the lifestyle they were seeking. We quickly accepted the challenge and, only a few days later, began working on the project.
To prevent the new house from feeling trapped between the party walls, we built to the full depth allowed by regulations. But since the family didn’t need such a large home, we carved out the central section, placing the main rooms between this inner courtyard and the façades.
At the highest point of the house, an interior façade opens onto a vertical void and a generous skylight, which connect all floors and flood the heart of the home with natural light. The program is organized around this central space: on one side, the kitchen, dining room, and study; on the other, a playroom, bathrooms, and laundry. The exterior façades are reserved for the three bedrooms.
We opted for a mixed construction system that combines timber with traditional masonry. The solid wood ceilings are built with interlocking beams, allowing phased assembly and finished with just a protective varnish. The roof and façades use light timber framing, clad with birch plywood panels left exposed. Exposed brickwork is reserved for the inner façade, terraces, and transitional spaces that connect with the outdoors.
These semi-exterior areas are treated like galleries. Brick walls and tiled floors invite the presence of plants, blurring the boundary between inside and outside. This strategy not only enhances natural light—especially through the dining room skylight—but also softens the perception of depth, creating a sense of openness despite the narrow proportions. The combination of materials and varying interior heights results in quality spaces at the very center of the house.
All these design choices follow passive construction principles to optimize energy performance. In winter, the south-facing openings and skylight act as natural solar collectors; the brick walls and ceramic floors store heat during the day and release it at night. In summer, overhangs and adjustable shutters block direct sunlight, while the skylight enhances cross-ventilation and nighttime cooling.
Thanks to these passive systems and proper insulation, the house eliminates the need for heating or mechanical cooling. Instead, photovoltaic panels supply most of its annual energy demand.
Today, all the doubts about this narrow, elongated site have vanished. In its place stands a spacious, bright, and comfortable home, perfectly aligned with the lifestyle of a family who knew how to recognize the hidden virtues of an unlikely opportunity.
...
Project: 115ARI New construction of a row house in Sabadell
Location: Sabadell, Barcelona
Phase: Finished construction
Gross floor area: 175 m²
Design date: 2022
Construction date: 2023-2024
Developer: Private
Architects: Llorenç Vallribera Farriol, Aleix Gil Noray
Collaborators: Sergi Ballester, architect; Joan Fontanet, quantity surveyor; Míriam Molina, structural consultant; Daniel Vilavedra, energetic and environmental consultant; Nacho Villegas, infographic
Primary non-renewable energy consumption: 3,69 kWh/m² year
Total CO2 emissions: 0,78 KgCO2/m² year
Heating demand: 3,06 kWh/m² year
Cooling demand: 4,42 kWh/m² year
EPC rating: A
Photographs: © José Hevia
