office KGDVS completes circular solo house in eastern spain

scattered across the mountainous terrain of matarraña in eastern spain, the solo houses are the brainchild of french developer christian bourdais. the initiative asks a new wave of young, yet established architects — including sou fujimoto, johnston marklee, and didier faustino — to populate the landscape with small resort-style dwellings. following pezo von ellrichshausen’s completed design in 2013, belgian studio office KGDVS is the latest practice to unveil its remote residence.

the scheme is sited on the edge of a plateau overlooking the mediterranean sea
image © bas princen (also main image) / all images courtesy of solo houses

commonly referred to as the ‘tuscany of spain’, matarraña’s mediterranean landscape is filled with medieval villages, crystalline rivers, and ancient olive trees. it is against this backdrop where kersten geers and david van severen have built ‘solo office’. ‘since the surrounding landscape is so impressive, we felt architecture should be invisible, merely emphasizing the natural qualities of the surroundings,’ explain the architects.

the property is topped with a simple circular roof spanning 40 meters in diameter
image © bas princen

sited on the edge of a plateau overlooking the mediterranean sea, the property is topped with a simple circular roof spanning 40 meters in diameter. this canopy is supported by four straight rows of eight columns — a construction method that delineates four areas that can be inhabited with varying degrees of protection. the outer edge of the circle features large stretches of curtain that can be pulled across to provide sweeping views.

the house has been designed to be as unobtrusive as possible
image © bas princen

in total, the plot measures over 90,000 square meters, however only 550 square meters are occupied by the structure itself. the interior program is divided between the four segments, comprising a living house, a sleeping house, a guest house, and a pool house. the circular patio found at the center of the scheme includes a garden with a carved swimming pool.

four living areas can be inhabited with varying levels of protection
image © bas princen

the project’s technical infrastructure — photovoltaic panels, water tanks, and generators — is presented as sculptural objects perched atop the building’s roof. the textures for these objects were chosen by painter pieter vermeersch. meanwhile, the curvature of the house also inspired the mobile stool-lamp hybrids by artist richard venlet and the mesh chaise longue conceived by muller van severen.

the four segments comprise: a living house, a sleeping house, a guest house, and a pool house
image © bas princen

‘in ‘solo office’ we want to investigate how much you can take away from the idea of a ‘house’ and still make a proper place for living; to make a house that almost disappears,’ says office KGDVS. ‘the context was ideal for this endeavor, as the site is marvelous and imposing. the very idea of inhabiting the site seems to us an exercise in making as little house as possible, to be able to live in this beautiful piece of nature without constraints, without boundaries between the ‘house’ and the nature surrounding it.’

curtains have been used to provide privacy when required
image © bas princen

the dwelling’s sleeping quarters
image © bas princen

the mesh chaise longue has been conceived by muller van severen
image © muller van severen
see more of the project on designboom here

thonet chairs surround the dining table

the project’s technical infrastructure is presented as sculptural objects

only 550 square meters of the plot are occupied by the structure
image © bas princen

the house is located in the mountainous terrain of spain’s matarraña region
image © bas princen

1/16

office KGDVS solo houses matarrana spain designboom

project info:

location: polygon 13, parcel 381, cretas, province teruel, spain
dates: 2014-2017
plot area: 92,889 sqm
built area: 550 sqm
client: christian bourdais
architects: office KGDVS
associated architects: diogo porto architects
collaborator: jan lenaerts
artist intervention: pieter vermeersch

contractor: construccions ferras prat, sl
structural engineer: laguens arquitectos asociados, sl
technical architect: alfonso arrufat
installations: alex montañes – montañes instalaciones
façades: de clercq
constructive system: steel frame and reinforced concrete
exterior finishing: extruded aluminum and polycarbonate panels, glass, polished stainless doors, exposed concrete ceilings, colored concrete floors
interior finishing: polycarbonate panels, glass, polished stainless doors, dyed wood ceilings, colored concrete floors