Casa Dosmurs is a minimal house positioned in Alella, Spain, designed by MESURA. Nestled between exterior and inside worlds, a home serves as a mediator, regulating its inhabitants’ interactions with their environment. Casa Dosmurs, a tranquil household haven, embodies this precept by putting a stability between openness and privateness. Located in Alella, one of many coastal cities in El Maresme, Spain, this residence thoughtfully engages with its setting to supply the specified dwelling expertise. Situated on the outskirts of a residential space, Casa Dosmurs is surrounded by an eclectic mixture of architectural kinds, which ends up in a sense of discord and disharmony. Regardless of the steep slope and the shut proximity between houses, the location provides a charming view of the ocean. On the decrease floor, native bushes body the undulating hills, additional immersing the home in its pure environment.
The design of Casa Dosmurs deliberately obscures the home from avenue view, setting it aside from neighboring constructions. Two stark partitions comply with the location’s steep slope, permitting the residence to fade from sight. This system unfolds on two staggered ranges, guaranteeing the constructing doesn’t dominate the streetscape. Two entrances join by way of a staircase alongside the west wall, whereas restricted openings on the alternative entrance preserve visible privateness. In distinction, the south-facing facade options a big, floor-to-ceiling window, capturing views of the native panorama from the double-height dwelling space and higher ground. The roof and partitions of this facade lengthen two meters past the inside area, serving as a passive local weather ingredient that protects towards direct daylight throughout the summer season.
In winter, cross air flow is achieved via openings at each ends of the north-south axis, whereas concrete facades retain warmth from daylight, releasing it as temperatures fall. The higher degree hosts two bedrooms related to a secluded backyard dealing with the mountain. Modular picket partitions present adjustable privateness and air regulation. Above this story, a flat roof doubles as an expansive open terrace. Casa Dosmurs demonstrates a cost-conscious architectural method, prioritizing spatial high quality over costly supplies and finishes. Using a mixture of industrialized building strategies and in-situ work, the residence showcases its humble origins. Customized-made prefab concrete slabs and panels kind the lateral partitions and roof, assembled on-site in simply three days.
The construction permits for an uninterrupted ten-meter-wide floorplan whereas minimizing materials waste. Internally, brick partitions sourced from a neighborhood quarry maximize thermal insulation, with a thermal insulation chamber including additional effectivity. The vertical cuts of the architectural holes reveal a novel reinterpretation of the development supplies, whereas sunk terracotta mortar, picket carpentry, and non-recessed lights create a comfy ambiance. The center of the home, the double-height lounge, connects each ranges. Casa Dosmurs exemplifies the attract of merging beneficiant dwelling areas with austere materiality and environment friendly building strategies. The result’s a house that fosters intimate each day actions whereas sustaining a connection to the encompassing panorama.
Pictures by Maxime Delvaux
