Half-buried House

Ecological House in Aspe

​A privileged location, on the hillside of the Sierra de Bernia in Altea Hills, a mountainous area with astounding views over the bay, yet completely saturated with homes and a highly open programme of holiday dwellings, decisively conditioned the development of this project. Half-Buried Houseis located in the typical inner Alicante´s half desertic landscape, amongst irrigated crops and low mountains of great beauty, yet surrounded by a single family residential tissue, dense and repetitive.

Winters are not too cold, and at the same time there is a dominant West wind that lowers thermal feeling. Summers are very hot and dry.

Project's main goal was to achieve an special place, highly related to landscape, in order to live comfortably. Project's strategy was to work at the same time plot, landscape and building, to obtain the most of them, enhancing themselves to each other.

Landscape is a prolongation of the garden, which is a prolongation of the home. Thermal confort was achieved by partially burying the dwelling. Thanks to that, the house takes advantage of the thermal inertia, that naturally adjusts temperature. This, together with a targeted orientation that obtains winnings in winter and protection in summer, plus a crossed ventilation, results into a thermal responsive home.

By burying the house taking advantage of the plot´s slope, two flat levels are activated: the terrace-garden area above, plus the house level where pool is located as well.

House's floor plan has S shape, attached to plot's west edge, where entrance is located too. Dwelling is required pass in order to access the plot, protecting at the same time the pool.

Inner S side generates an open court where main rooms and circulation face, creating an extension of inner space towards outer garden, without an intimacy loss.

Result is a ecological house , that embeds itself into the terrain, interweaving with gardens, courtyards, inner spaces and terraces, creating different ways of experiencing the place, and relating to the landscape.