05 AM Arquitecturaa Girona-based design studio has completed the Terraced House in Casavells project. This split-level terraced property sits on a narrow plot in a quaint village on the outskirts of Girona, Spain.
According to the architects: “The house has a contrast with both open sides, to the north the old village with narrow stoned streets. And to the south the garden, pool, sun and the landscape.
“Access is gained through the two facades at different levels, but the main entrance is through the garage.
“The contemporary Spanish property has a sunken level in the middles of the ground floor to have a better relation with the garden and the landscape, and the roof is fragmented to let the natural light pass through the different levels of the ground and the ceiling, we clearly identify the individual character and volume of each space with a different use, with an open space always luminous and linked to the landscape.
“On the lower ground floor we wanted to resolve the usual access to housing with the car, so we proposed to have a space with more attributes than a garage with a dark background. It is a transitional space between inside and outside of the house, a threshold where they can develop alternative uses for the space.
“With the aim to allow a good relation between different spaces, we placed in the middle space on an intermediate level between the basement and the main floor. This space can be used for leisure and study, as a common space where the library, a desk, and bleachers with the purpose of being a playground area for children, a meeting space or a home cinema.
“The main floor is a unique space, with a large opening at its southern end. From this level we can see the multifunctional space of the entrance and the garden through the studio located at an intermediate level. On the first floor we have the main living space, kitchen, living room and the terrace. And in the north side we have the entry from the village street.
“On the first floor there are the bedrooms, a slab breaks it into three, leaving two open gaps between them that allow the passage of the overhead light to the ground floor. These three slabs are placed at different heights to qualify and define spatially the different uses that are located on the lower floor.
“The contemporary Spanish home provides solutions to the conditions and takes full advantage of the benefits of its location, creating a pleasant indoor space with many possibilities of use, and ways to connect and qualify the spaces.”
