1701 - La Casa dels Vents

1701 - La Casa dels Vents Sa Pobla, Mallorca Architecture and Art Nøra Studio.

Architecture and Art

Located in Sa Pobla, Mallorca, in an area known as "es Raiguer" is a newly built house for a family. With the Serra de Tramuntana as a luxurious spectator, a house is proposed in which dialogue with the surroundings, the use of natural materials and good orientation both to the sun and to the prevailing winds in the area are key.

The project seeks to recognise some aspects of traditional construction, such as sloping roofs, the use of earthy materials and the typology of the openings, and to take them to the extreme to achieve a house that meets today's needs and way of life.

Two pieces placed at 45º are located on the site in which the day area, night area and outdoor areas are distributed taking into account their solar orientation and the action of the "embat" during the day and the "terral" during the night (prevailing winds in the area) during the hottest summer months.

The clayey soil of the place, present in the area due to the cultivation of vegetables, especially potatoes, gives it a very special tonality during a large part of the year. This is why, in the important exercise of integrating a building with the presence of this one into its surroundings, it was necessary to use materials in the same shades and textures.

The contact of this large piece on the ground was crucial to solve this issue and the key material that allowed us to do so was Fetdeterra. An "eco-innovative" product, as they define themselves, made of 100% recyclable and environmentally sustainable materials. Only earth and lime make up this interesting product that allows us to achieve such a natural finish that is so integrated with the predominant tones of the rural area of Sa Pobla.

From here, the use of locally sourced gravels, marés as a resistant element in the exterior passageways and ceramics as a linking element between the different materials give us great cohesion with the terrain and give the house this sensation of being in a space that has always been there.

The interior of the house seeks to nourish itself with this intense golden light that enters through the courtyards that break up the strong geometry of the house and the façade openings (in some cases protected by a porch and a pergola). At the heart of the house, at the intersection of the geometric cross of the building, is the day area, fully connected with the pool area and the rest of the outdoor space of the plot, generating good cross ventilation and a space full of light.

Wood as the main element and light tones on walls and floor give us the necessary warmth for a family home.