Villa Las Chapas | Alejandro Gimenez Architects

The house is an oasis of pleasure, a slice of paradise within the housing maelstrom that has developed in Marbella in recent years.

This house with family values, first inhabited by the owner’s parents who were seduced by the glamorous Marbella of the 60s, is now enjoyed by a new generation of children occupying today during holidays.

In my work I try to introduce architecture slowly, looking not just seeing at a glance. Spaces lead and seduce you from one courtyard to another with the sound of fountains calling us to go and discover… or a colour that takes us from inside to outside without even realising.

We try to recreate the pleasure of getting lost, walking aimlessly, something you can feel wandering around the many white villages of Andalusia which are located within a few kilometers of this property.

We seek to make contemporary architecture but give it warmth and temperature, abandoning the cold and aseptic components of many new homes. Spaces that meet the spiritual mission of architecture though beauty, serenity and tranquility are necessary in a contemporary world where speed rules.

The predominant colour is white, as a reference to the popular architecture of the white villages of Andalusia with their richness of volume and movement. A pink colour, similar to the existing bougainvillea on the plot that come to life when bathing in the Andalusian sun has been used to punctuate the white exterior.

The use of materials has been reduced to a minimum: white walls, limestone floors and iroko wood (for custom furniture designed by Alejandro Giménez). Everything is resolved by using this simple palette. We have also designed some pieces of furniture especially for these spaces.

The plot is situated near the town of Marbella and is about 100m from the beach.

There are several volumes linked by courtyards, full of plants and even animals, like chickens and ducks. This is a consequence of the importance of internal and external relationship and gives way to a gradual revelation of the house.

Access is made across a sea of small stones which are flooded by a stream of water reminding us of Japanese architecture. The same feeling is experienced in the access to the rooms with the pink wall and stepping stones.