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Metropolis Editors, Natural Habitat, sustainability, sustainable architecture

METROPOLIS Introduces Natural Habitat, a Sustainable Homes Video Series

The series debuts with a tour of a tranquil upstate New York retreat designed with Passive House principles.

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January 26, 2022

A Geometric Home Cuts an Impressive Figure in Coastal Spain

HORMAestudio makes the most of a tight suburban plot by accenting a matrix-like open plan concept with striking volumes and bold finishes.

By: Adrian Madlener

Photography: Mariela Apollonio

Crystalline curves render in the clever assemblage that is DM House. Located in the seaside town of Puerto de Sagunto, Spain, the unique split-level dwelling stands apart with its uninterrupted use of geometric massing and a resolute material palette that carries over from its facade to custom kitchen cabinetry. Designed by local, up-and-coming firm HORMAestudio, the cohesive project incorporates 1,300 square feet of a seamlessly connected indoor and outdoor space. The architects carefully laid out enclosed and uncovered rooms to take full advantage of the area’s warm climate and activate every last square foot of space available on the small plot.

“Living on one floor implies [the] continuity and fragmentation of spaces without losing the unity of the whole,” says HORMAestudio co-principal Nacho Juan. “Matter, geometry, and space work in harmony and, at the same time, their relationships constantly vary, giving rise to diverse spaces designed according to the needs of the inhabitant.”

“Living on one floor implies [the] continuity and fragmentation of spaces without losing the unity of the whole.”

Nacho Juan, co-principal, HORMAestudio
Interior image of Casa DM
The open plan of Casa DM flows seamlessly from outdoor living areas to indoor areas taking full advantage of the site’s warm climate.

Though relatively new on the ever-innovative Spanish architecture scene, the small but dynamic firm prides itself on taking a holistic, client-driven approach to every project. HORMAestudio primarily works in the Valencia region and has developed homes, cafés, and stores with strong graphical qualities. Left in their unadulterated state, standard building materials like bricks, concrete, and plywood are cleverly implemented to make strong visual statements. The firm’s pared-back aesthetic relies heavily on the unexpected proportioning and patterning of these quotidian elements.

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DM House, HORMAestudio’s latest undertaking, takes this approach to the next level by incorporating playful elements and emphasizing the contrast between clean-lined minimalism and eye-catching accents, all to promote a sense of harmony. “The composition of different volumes and geometries, together with the constant dialogue between materials, makes it possible to reduce and control the relationship between the [different] parts of the project,” Juan adds.

exterior three quarters view of the house
Though open and airy to the back yard and pool terrace, Casa DM has windowless walls along the red facade, protecting the inhabitants privacy against the neighboring lots, which are yet to be developed.

Positioned with southern and eastern exposures, the hermetically sealed home is protected from the harsh sun to the west. Cleverly placed shafts bring natural light and air into more intimate bedrooms in the northern portion of the house that are shielded from abutting properties yet to be developed. The main family level—completed with a semi-curved pool—is intersected by a lower entertainment space and guest suite above at 11.5 feet in each direction. Explicating the indoor-outdoor scheme are strategically placed skylights and semi-translucent curtain walls.

On the home’s exterior, a lime-washed cladding is juxtaposed by grids of terra cotta-hued ceramic tiles that help articulate particular undulations and curved articulations. This two-tone color scheme is evoked indoors with continuous terrazzo flooring as well as custom maple and cherry wood built-in furnishings. The reddish accents not only balance out the natural off-whites but also integrate well with the verdant plantings that surround the abode. Though a bold aesthetic postulation, the home was conceived to serve the exacting needs of its owners and reflect a more conducive spatial distribution.

  • casa dm facade
  • interior office space
  • interior subterranean space with underwater view of pool
  • outdoor spiral staircase

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