Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Mar 29, 2024

An Old Brick House in Spain Becomes a Light-Filled Family Home

An Old Brick House in Spain Becomes a Light-Filled Family Home

The renovation by miniArquitectura keeps the home’s charm intact, but creates opened-up spaces with a material palette to match.

After purchasing a Valencian orchard house-known regionally as a barraca-a young family contacted local architecture firm miniArquitectura to turn it into their dream home. As it was, the structure, which is situated on a street lined with pine trees in the town of Godella, had a number of charming features. But the interiors, and particularly the bedrooms, were quite dark.



The brief was to give it an update to accommodate modern family living, and to introduce a lofted study area that respected the character of the original home.

"Thus began our challenge to achieve maximum brightness, open spaces, and a large work area with natural light and ventilation, all while maintaining the original structure and distribution of the house," says architect Yoana Ibáñez.



The original home reflected regional vernacular: a symmetrical structure with a wide door at the entrance that led to a central hallway; bedrooms flanking either side; and a living space with a fireplace and a kitchen at the rear. There was also a porch space and garden at the back.



Since being built, a previous owner had added an extension to create an internal courtyard that separated the kitchen and dining room from the rest of the home. However, it had been carried out with low-quality materials, and had little architectural merit.



Responding to the client’s brief, the architects emphasized the central hallway by introducing more light and ventilation. They also took advantage of extra space under the roof by creating a lofted area that can be reached via a timber stair.



At the top of the stair is now an impressive hall with a double-height ceiling that forms the backbone of the house. At the rear of the ground floor, the kitchen opens out to the home’s public spaces, the dining room and a garden.



The previous extension was demolished and a new one was built, allowing the dining room and kitchen to be reconnected with the home. This new extension features a sloping roof, and clerestories and arched windows that bring in natural light and views of surrounding pine trees. Throughout, the windows feature white lacquered aluminum frames that evoke the old wooden ones. "I like that both the sky and the green of the exterior are present at all times inside the house," says Ibáñez.



Many of the materials from the original home were reused in the renovation, and the new elements are inspired by the quality and nature of the traditional materiality-think iron railings and structures, lime mortar, clay floors, and pine timber joists. The original floor tiles were removed to install underfloor heating before being polished and reused in the main living area. The home’s solid structure was left exposed. "We were seduced by their appearance and their constructive romanticism made us seek to preserve these noble materials," explains Ibáñez.



By mixing the semi-industrial structural elements-such as brick, timber boards, and white lacquered aluminum-with more classic finishes, the home is imbued with a welcoming and familiar atmosphere. There is a similar sensitivity in the relationship between the existing volumes and the extension, which uses the same materiality and language. For example, the old brick party wall has been extended, and the new ceiling features exposed joists that echo those of the original home.



Floor plan of Traditional House in Valencia.



Floor plan of Traditional House in Valencia.




Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Reports in Gaza: 5 dead from the impact of aid packages dropped by the USA
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
China Criticizes US for Vetoing UN Ceasefire Resolution in Gaza
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
The U.S. vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, instead proposing its own six-week ceasefire plan contingent upon the release of all hostages held by Hamas
Prince William Urges End to Gaza Conflict
Saudi Arabia ranks first in UN index for e-government services in MENA
Israel has gone ‘beyond self-defence’ in Gaza, says Labour’s Streeting
EU Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza Conflict
Israel Records 20% Drop In GDP, War In Gaza Is The Reason
Saudi Arabia's FDI Inflows Grow with New International Standards
Venture Capitals Power Up Across MENA Region
Saudi Arabia Introduces Terms for 30-Year Income Tax Exemption for Multinational Companies
Saudi FM: Establishing Palestinian state is only pathway for Mideast stability
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
Elon Musk's Starlink Gets License For Israel, Parts Of Gaza
Influencers Exploit X Platform for Profit Amidst Israel-Gaza Conflict
PM Modi Announces Opening Of New CBSE Office In Dubai
International Criminal Court's Chief "Deeply Concerned" By Rafah Bombing
January Funding for MENA Startups Totals $86.5 Million
Saudi Arabia accelerates digital economy growth through Nvidia partnership
Indian female military officers commend Saudi Arabia's progress and women's empowerment
Israel unveils tunnels underneath Gaza City headquarters of UN agency for Palestinian refugees
Israel deploys new military AI in Gaza war
Egypt threatens to suspend key peace treaty if Israel pushes into Gaza border town, officials say
Israel Utilizes AI Military Technology in Gaza Conflict
Saudi Arabia Warns Of A "Humanitarian Catastrophe" If Israel Moves On Rafah
China Warns Iran to Halt Houthi Attacks or Damage Trade Ties
US University To Shut Qatar Campus Due To "Heightened Mideast Instability"
Iran-backed hackers interrupt UAE TV streaming services with deepfake news
Facebook and Instagram Ban Iran's Supreme Leader
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken: The Israelis underwent dehumanization on 7.10, this does not give them the right to do this to others.
Defense Technology Showcase Held in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports rise 2.5% to $6bn in November 2023: GASTAT
UK Bans Misleading "Zero Emissions" Claims for Electric Cars
Gaza's Teen Inventor Sparks Light in Displacement
Netanyahu Rejects Ceasefire Proposal, Insists On Total Victory Over Hamas
Guterres appoints independent UNRWA review panel
Private Sector Employment Hits Record High with Over 11 Million Employees in January
Rolls-Royce Executive Encourages Saudi Women to Tap into Their Inner 'Superhero' for Success in Defense Industry
Saudi Arabia launches National Academy of Vehicles and Cars
Saudi Tourism Minister Reveals Plan for 250,000 New Hotel Rooms by 2030
SAR to more than double eastern network passenger capacity with new trains deal
Saudi Arabia Enhances National Defense with New Partnerships
Saudi Aramco Maintains Arab Light Crude Pricing to Asia for March
NEOM Establishes New York Office to Support Investors
Saudi Wealth Fund Draws in Over $25 Billion Worth of Investments in Three Years, Al-Rumayyan Reveals
ZATCA Cautions Against Scammer Schemes
INTRA Defense Technologies inaugurates drone factory in Riyadh
×