La Casa Áspera

Architects: Laura Uhalte + Enrique Parra

Contributors: Antonio Olivera, Alberto Alonso, Xavier Campos, Jorge Puente

Just at the outskirts of one of the most beautiful towns in Spain you can find the Casa Aspera.
The house was designed based on the program set by a young couple and their two kids. Their required living spaces were distributed around three volumes connected by two intermediate pieces. The interior spaces were articulated by a central corridor that creates a limit and differenciates the use of each one of these spaces. The first volume hosts the kids' bedrooms, the second volume is where the main bedroom and common spaces are and finally the third volume contains a workshop and a small rehearsal room.

The living room and connecting spaces are located in the interstitial spaces between the main volumes and are designed as connecting elements for those.

One of the requirements was to blur the limit between indoor and outdoor spaces. This was achieved following two strategies. First, by slightly moving the main volumes to adjust them for better sun exposure and views; and secondly by incorporating the exterior finish material into the main volumes of the house and the surrounding pavement. This allows for a continuity and interconnection between indoor and outdoor spaces, contributing to a space unity sensation and blurring the architectural edges.

The owners also requested an architectural image that combined the feeling of unfinished construction with the warmth of a dwelling space. The mix of exposed concrete and pine wood help achieve this sensation, a harsh feeling provided by the concrete is compensated by the softness and warmth of the wood in the main living spaces.

Overall we can see a simple but powerful project that adapts to their owners' needs with subtle details incorporated all along the interior spaces as wel as a clear and strong presence in the environment.