Norkus House / Arquit3ctes + West Coast Properties

• Curated by Clara Ott

HOUSES

ES CUBELLS, SPAIN

• Architects: Arquit3ctes, West Coast Properties
• Area: 222 m²
• Year: 2024
• Photographs: Joan Torres
• Manufacturers:  ByCocoon, ICONICO, Keller
• Lead Architects: Javier Acebes/Carlos Rey de Viñas/Victor Abellán

Text description provided by the architects. The house sits in the privileged surroundings of Cala Carbó, southwest of Ibiza island. Despite not being a first-line plot, thanks to its location, within the limits of a suburban environment, and the sloped topography of the area, the house possesses magnificent views towards the sea, the sunset, and the magical islet of Es Vedrà.

The projected house occupies the last empty plot in the vicinity. Logically, the existing properties didn’t want to sacrifice in excess their clear views, a factor which translated into severe view rights at the starting point of the project. In a perfect adaptation exercise, this strong determining factor is turned into a design feature, resulting in two clean, prismatic volumes that emphasize geometry and articulate the distribution, without disturbing the neighboring views. The program of necessities is typical of a Mediterranean summer house, with wide open spaces and great openings to enjoy the exteriors and the excellent weather.

At ground level, the first volume is placed longitudinally along the plot, with an east-west orientation. The main access is located here, as well as a large, open-concept, living/dining/kitchen area, completely embracing the views and the sea, and directly connected to the swimming pool. The program for this floor is completed with service and utility rooms, and one of the bedrooms with an en suite bathroom.

On the contrary, the volume at the first level faces a north-south direction, placed transversely across the plot. Here, two more bedrooms are located, with en suite bathrooms as well. This volume forms a large cantilever on its southern tip, providing a shaded porch area by the terrace and the swimming pool. This cantilever is also a key element of the design that strengthens the volumetry.

This geometric dichotomy of two adjoining volumes also manifests in the choice of materials: natural stone masonry at ground level and exposed concrete on the first floor. Both materials contribute to the sturdiness of the geometry. Concrete takes, undoubtedly, the leading role of the project. Besides, it is executed with a traditional formwork of wood slats, which adds richness and hues not easily achieved with any other material. The first-floor volume becomes a “concrete box” that appears to be floating above a stone basement.

Having exposed concrete as the key material of the building adds complexity to the project because no errors are allowed. A seamless execution was achieved thanks to the narrow collaboration between the developer, builder, and technical team. The developer acted as the Project Manager as well, with a very strict attention to detail as the leading banner of the project, and direct implication in both the design and construction phases.