Estate in Extremadura
- Architecture, interior design and construction: ÁBATON
Nestled in a privileged environment in the province of Cáceres, the objective was to transform an abandoned barn into a family country house through a comprehensive, coherent and respectful rehabilitation with the environment. This work aims to show itself as a non-intervention in the territory that recognizes the pre-existence as a wise position of the human being in nature.
“Good architecture is timeless, that which understands the passage of time and incorporates it as another element in the design, as a patina of experience and history.”
A+ Architizer 2013 Award in the Architecture+Sustainability category.
Finalists “Domus Restauro e Consenvazione” (Italy).
Finalists “Domus Restauro e Consenvazione” (Italy).
A wise position in nature
After analyzing the typologies of the environment of this country house, the south orientation, the position of the building sheltered by the Gredos mountains… it was recognized in this rural architecture a much more intelligent piece than it may seem at first glance. It is for this reason, and for the beautiful nature in which it is located, that the new country house repeats the existing volumetry and materials, taking advantage of the experience of the original construction itself.
No interior is deprived of the views of the place where it is located or the feeling of an intimate connection with nature.
A country house that opens up to nature
A large central space is built for the living room and kitchen, around which the different rooms are arranged.
Basic materials are used: water, iron, cement and the existing stone; the interior is lightened by replacing the load-bearing walls with light metal pillars.
In the courtyard, a fountain is built where water flows naturally from a rock, helping to cool the house in the warmer months and introducing natural sensations in the main room of the country house.
The central space opens completely north-south to enhance the views of the valley, which manages to eliminate the limits with the outside.
De establo a casa de campo contemporánea
Sostenibilidad y respeto por el entorno
Aunque de manera natural la vivienda es térmicamente estable, se solucionaron los problemas derivados de la falta de suministros de electricidad y agua corriente mediante los sistemas de sostenibilidad que se aplican en ÁBATON en todos los proyectos: se diseñó un sistema de paneles solares con acumuladores que permite el suministro de energía en verano; se instalaron turbinas que aprovechan el cauce de dos arroyos que pasan por la finca y que nutren de corriente eléctrica a los acumuladores en invierno. Una de las terrazas de cultivo se convierte en alberca, piscina natural por la que corre el agua de manera constante y que sirve de riego para los pastos. Ningún interior se priva de las vistas del lugar en el que se ubica ni de la sensación de una íntima conexión con las sensaciones naturales.
From barn to contemporary country house
Sustainability and respect for the environment
Although the house is naturally thermally stable, the problems derived from the lack of electricity and running water supplies were solved by means of the sustainability systems applied in all projects at ABATON: a system of solar panels with accumulators was designed to supply energy in summer; turbines were installed to take advantage of the flow of two streams that pass through the farm and supply electricity to the accumulators in winter.
One of the cultivation terraces becomes a pool, a natural pool through which water flows constantly and serves to irrigate the pastures.
No interior is deprived of the views of the place where it is located or the feeling of an intimate connection with natural sensations.
