Architecture News Plus (ANP) – Architecture and Design Magazine

8x8 House

This is a project by Marià Castelló, Arquitecte and it is located at Formentera, Spain. There are ten images for 8x8 House.

: © Marià Castelló, Arquitecte

Project images

Designer's statement

The project is located on a plot of rustic nature at the Portossalè band on the island of Fomentera. This is an extension of an existing house formalized as a self-serving refuge for a teacher. The volumetric project is highly conditioned by the existing building as well as native vegetation which needed to be retained. In this context arises the 8x8 sq meters floor, which is part of a basic program where public areas (living room and kitchen) act as distribution areas, thus getting larger rooms for the small scale of the building.

The living-dining room is the largest space, which extends outward through to the paving via a large opening in the eastern façade. The kitchen is conjoined to the dining room using large sliding panels.

Thus, the only space closed are the bedroom, study room and bathroom. A portion of the flat roof was made passable to enjoy the spectacular views that open toward the north: Estany des Peix, La Savina port, Illetes beach, Espalmador island and the rugged skyline of Ibiza and Es Verdrà in the background.

Being a modest project with a tight budget, the architects opted for a simple construction system and a reduced palette of materials offering austerity and harmony to the complex. The floor is limestone Capri 60x30 cm format and with almost no joint polished finish inside, natural outside and bush hammering in the shower area. The interior and exterior cladding is finished with cement and white paint. The external joinery is made with solid “Iroko” in the eastern façade, and by painted white aluminium for the remainder. The interior enclosures are executed with DM white water-repellent coating.

The entrance area features a small terrace with a pergola that provides shade and a longitudinal bench, while directing attention to the best views. The pergola structure has been created with structural white lacquered tubing and webs through anodized aluminium tube.

Location: Vénda de Portossalè, Estany des Peix, Formentera, Spain
Promoter: Òscar Portas Juan
Architect: Marià Castelló Martínez
Building engineer: Albert Yern Ribas
Structure: Albert Yern Ribas
Collaborators: Sonia Iben Jellal, Albert Yern, Ferran Juan and Jesús Rodríguez
Builder: Julián Nieto, Ferrería Ferreret CB, Carpintería de aluminio “Tití” and Carpintería Carlos
Project: 2005
End of work: 2009
Surface: 64 m2
Photography: Lourdes Grivé + EPDSE