House with Three Gardens
House with Three Gardens
Allen + Crippa
ARCHITECTS
Allen + Crippa
LEAD ARCHITECTS
Timothy Allen, Ronan Crippa
MANUFACTURERS
Graphisoft
CO DESIGN TEAM
Gebrüder Schöb
CONSTRUCTION
Gebrüder Schöb
PROGRAM / USE / BUILDING FUNCTION
Single Family House
PHOTOGRAPHS
Allen + Crippa - Charly Jolliet
YEAR
2023
LOCATION
Fuenlabrada, Spain
CATEGORY
Houses
After a basement fire, the fire spread and destroyed large parts of the building. We considered the appropriate approach to dealing with the damaged structure.
Instead of opting for a complete demolition, we chose a strategy of partial dismantling starting from the attic, followed by an extension.
This allowed for the reuse of a significant portion of the building's structure shortened the construction time for the family, and preserved the garden that had evolved over the decades with its beautiful trees and plants.
A new timber frame structure on the upper floor rests on the exterior walls and spans the entire width of the house.
This enables a new floor plan that functions independently of the existing load-bearing walls on the ground floor.
The substantial timber beams become defining elements of the space and form a grid with nine rooms that are interconnected and delineated by large sliding doors.
The existing spiral staircase is exposed and, thanks to the open floor plan, takes on a new significance.
An intensively green plant ring marks the transition between the existing ground floor and the new construction on the upper floor.
It also serves as a canopy with structural sun protection for the ground floor and simultaneously promotes biodiversity.
Another garden is located on the roof, where an elevated PV system allows for a green roof with abundant vegetation and a cooling effect for the house.