DWELLINGS IN EL ENCINAR DE LOS REYES | Aranguren + Gallegos

The operation is in a natural area known as Royal Oaks, less than ten kilometres from the centre of Madrid. It covers a brief that required the construction of 76 dwellings and garages on a large tree-strewn estate. The insertion of residential buildings which would have the M-40 motorway on one side while at the same time enjoying a large parkland area led us to propose five volumes arranged crosswise to the motorway. This creates two clearly differentiated frontages on the longest sides. The north-facing facades are seen by passers-by as closed, defensive units set transversally, somewhat like the large rectangular advertising hoardings that have been erected along the edge of the freeway and shelter the dwellings from the freeway’s potential noise impact. In opposition, the south-facing walls are decomposed and broken to create units with garden terraces that spill out towards the natural part of the allotment. In order to achieve this radically contrasted arrangement of the two block frontages, the dwellings will be organised with their service elements (kitchen ,clothes-line, toilets, etc.) clustered into a single compact unit that hugs the north wall , while all the living areas and bedrooms face the terrace façade. Through their large picture windows and their ample “terrace-gardens”, these dwellings make the indoor space extend outwards and in doing so, ensure that nature and architecture merge in a single gesture. By this means, the mature oak woodland on the site and the relaxing views from the hills where these buildings are inserted become defining elements for the architecture. In this construction project, we have sought economy (which is also expressive) through the choice if combination of two basic materials: concrete and wood. All the exterior faces of the blocks are constructed using prefab concrete elements which, through a single 5,6 metre structural modulation ,enable us to erect the whole building at a low cost using small number of differing pieces. The combination of prefab concrete and wooden belts in the windows and lattices underscores the horizontal lines, which help to dissolve the volumes and bestow a much desired serenity on what has to be a residential area.