New Project by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos: Villa 18 in La Moraleja

DATE

18.03.2025

The daytime area is organized into two volumes of different heights, which shift in relation to each other to create a sheltered terrace overlooking the landscape, oriented southeast. The main structure reaches almost one and a half stories in height. A third volume houses the nighttime area, positioned to provide its own private outdoor space. The movement of these three built elements creates an entrance courtyard, oriented north, which defines the identity of the arrival sequence. The geometry serves a structural function, freeing the views toward the landscape from any supports, allowing the spaces to be adaptable in the future for new uses and users.

Just as the Inuit and other Arctic peoples have, according to linguists, more than forty words to describe snow, in this project, we were challenged to find a precise yet extensive range of whites with warm undertones. These include natural Colmenar stone, Madrid’s native ash wood, various types of brass with hues close to RAL 9016, and lighting temperatures around 2,700K. This integrated heterogeneity likely contributes to a calm perception of these domestic spaces.

The lower floor houses spaces dedicated to well-being, such as the pool, gym, and other complementary areas, illuminated by a skylight. Each volume features rounded edges, creating a dynamic visual effect. These curved elements are placed in the open terrace areas, facilitating construction while ensuring all interior spaces remain orthogonal. We have always been fascinated by this strategy in Andreu Alfaro’s work, where the interplay between straight and curved lines creates a continuous flow, guiding the eye seamlessly from one element to another. In a way, as Maderuelo would say, we sought to “kidnap” this space from Alfaro’s sculptures.

Thus, the main part of the house becomes a sort of continuous journey where the pool transforms into the terrace, which integrates into the façades of the built volumes, before looping back to the pool. This approach reinforces one of the many functions of the house: to be enjoyed by observing it.

MARCH VALENCIA | ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO

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