A Dreamy Home in Catalonia Celebrates the Mediterranean Way of Life
Spanish architecture studio Mesura draws inspiration from the landscape and local vernacular to craft a rural retreat for a large family.
Spanish architecture studio Mesura draws inspiration from the landscape and local vernacular to craft a rural retreat for a large family.
Spanish architecture firm Mesura is fascinated by the way architecture can shape a more meaningful experience of space and site. So, when the studio was approached by a large family who sought a second home in the Catalonian countryside where they could escape the city, the site became a driving force.
"They wanted a home that would offer different experiences of nature, as the plot has a privileged position surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, fields, and mountains," says Benjamin Iborra Wicksteed, co-founder of Mesura.
"It was very important for both us and the client to touch the natural environment as little as possible—including the trees, land, and vegetation," says architect Benjamin Iborra Wicksteed. "This is why the house is positioned on the flattest part of the plot, so it doesn’t touch the forest found on the higher part of the site."
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To bring this vision to life, Mesura incorporated the spirit of the local area—or the "genius loci"—to craft a home, known as Casa Ter, that celebrates its context. "We made a contemporary interpretation of it, using local knowledge of arts and crafts, as well as local materials and techniques," says Iborra Wicksteed.
"The site is incredible," says architect Benjamin Iborra Wicksteed. "It’s a perfect reflection of the landscape of Baix Empordà, where there’s a constant contrast between the green of the vegetation, and the beige-brown color of the fields and the traditional local architecture."
Salva López
"We investigated past examples—the works of the maestros who did a similar exercise in investigating and understanding vernacular Mediterranean architecture in order to interpret it to the way of living of their time," explains architect Benjamin Iborra Wicksteed. "Architects worth mentioning here are Josep Antoni Coderch, Josep Lluis Sert, Lanfranco Bombelli, Barba Corsini, and Antoni Bonet i Castellana."
Salva López
See the full story on Dwell.com: A Dreamy Home in Catalonia Celebrates the Mediterranean Way of Life
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