Architects:GRAT

Year:2024

Photographs:Simone Marcolin

Design Team:Guillem Elvira

Builder:Reformas Alarife

City:Barcelona

Country:Spain

Text description provided by the architects. Casa Biaix is located along the Aubareda Path, a trail that winds through fields of wheat, rapeseed, and Mediterranean forests. It sits atop a small hill, amidst a pine forest and an olive grove, just a few meters away from one of the oldest oaks in Barcelona.

The design preserves the historical exterior shape of the farmhouse while introducing a new formal and material logic inside. It frames views of the regenerating landscape, partially transformed by a recent wildfire. An austere materiality of lime mortar is applied throughout the project, reintroducing a material that was traditionally used in rural houses. The local limestone, characteristic of the interior of Catalonia, defines the color palette of the design.

The daytime program on the ground floor is organized to enhance visual connections with a landscape that changes throughout the seasons. On the upper floor, the rooms are arranged along a diagonal hallway that shapes the distinctive interior geometry. That oblique form is used to optimize service spaces and accommodate an additional room for the family.

The adjacent annex becomes a new living space, connected to the main house by a new spiral staircase. The rear facade opens up, making the house completely accessible and exposed to the elements.

Project gallery