Casa bajo los pinos
The building inserts itself smoothly into the rural topography of the Felanitx region of Mallorca, mediating between the existing hard edge of the pine forest to the north and the gentle hilly landscape to the south. The typical rural architecture of the region is developed further through maximum abstraction, resulting in a modern interpretation of the rural Mallorcan building typology. The precise spatial organisation generates surprising versatility in the sequence of rooms. Different room widths create completely different spatial impressions. This is further emphasised by the four-metre-high window sashes to the north, which are positioned at different heights to suit the use of the space. To the south, a projecting pergola extends the interior space out into the landscape. Bedrooms located at both ends of the building open onto their own adjoining patios. This results in an introverted area that is complemented by a «private» jungle. All rooms are separated from each other on the north and south sides by sliding doors. When the doors are open, there are views through all the rooms – the house is transformed into a seemingly transparent building envelope. The choice of materials was based on local requirements. Concrete in the interior not only contributes to the sculptural appearance of the structure but also acts as a thermal store, enabling a self-sufficient, CO2-neutral energy supply. The outer shell was covered with a lime plaster enriched with the reddish earth of the site, allowing the building to blend harmoniously into its surroundings. Most of the building materials used were produced locally within a radius of 5 kilometres.
