the wedged volume of lagula’s ‘gruyere house’ optimizes both privacy and views in girona

for this residential project barcelona-based practice, lagula arquitectes, sought to make the most of a challenging site in girona, spain. located on a narrow plot within a golf resort, ‘gruyere house’ is designed to provide privacy from nearby neighbors while also optimizing natural light and creating the feeling of being close to nature. 

all images courtesy of lagula arquitectes

as lagula arquitectes states, ‘the beauty of complex plots is they provide specific conditions to produce architecture.’ with this in mind, the design of the house can be described in two simple steps, each of which focused on optimizing the site constraints. the first step was to orient the building in such a way to obtain the best views and privacy. therefore, the volume appears as a wedge, growing from one level at the street elevation to two storys at the rear.

the second step was to provide sun, views and a feeling of privacy through a series of curved subtractions on the wedged volume. each concave subtraction has a specific function. some of them provide a sense of entrance, while others afford lateral views, bring natural light into the kitchen courtyard, or open the building up to the afternoon sun. other smaller or secondary punctures contribute to generate the spatial quality of the interior, porches or intermediate spaces of the house.

by confronting the project with a site specific response, lagula arquitectes has created a dwelling unique to its location. furthermore, the exterior and interior finishes are kept minimal and white to complement the concave shapes that are carved from the volume, allowing the design process that led to the final architecture to take center stage.

axonometric view

first floor plan

second floor plan

section

project info:

project name: gruyere house

type: residential

location: PGA catalunya resort, carretera N-II Km701 plot B1.20, girona, spain

promoter: busquets residential SL

year: 2017-2019

architect: lagula arquitectes

main collaborators: ordeic (installations), BME (construction survey), carlos cambron