This top-heavy house in Madrid by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos features a roof terrace that spans the entire width of the building and extends out towards a swimming pool (+ movie).
The Valencia-based firm wanted the two-storey-high Aluminium House to appear smaller than it actually is. To achieve this, they tried to make the top level feel like the main storey, and the lower level an extension of the patio.
To emphasise the effect, the top-heavy first floor is clad in aluminium panels, while the ground floor is covered in a light stone like the surrounding paving.
The large roof terrace cantilevers out from the first floor towards the pool, creating a shaded area beneath.
"The piece, of metallic and horizontal nature, produces the effect of having just one storey," said Fran Silvestre Arquitectos.
"With its proportions and materiality, it both contrasts and blends with the tall trees of its environment."
"The scale of the house is moderated through the understanding of the day area as a base emerging from the same natural stone which paves part of the plot," added the studio.
Both floors feature walls of glazing facing out over the swimming pool. The roof terrace also features a frameless glass balustrade, so as not to interrupt the view.
Smaller windows puncture the other three facades, offering framed glimpses of the surrounding garden and trees.
The interior is kept bright and minimal. White marble provides flooring throughout the building, and is complemented by bright white walls and monochrome furnishings.
To bring in plenty of light, the architects designed a top-lit atrium that contains the staircase. It connects the two main floors with a basement level below.
"The staircase and central inner atrium distribute the rooms, establishing a functional hierarchy in which all spaces open up to the garden," said the firm.
An open-plan space on the ground floor accommodates the living room, kitchen and dining area. Above this, three en-suite bedrooms lead onto the terrace.
There is also larger master bedroom that extends the full width of the floor. It features a dressing room, as well as a bathroom with a small skylight.
Fran Silvestre Arquitectos has completed a series of picturesque houses in Spain.
Others include a cylindrical house skirted by a crescent-shaped pool, an L-shaped property with a transparent glass facade and a wedge-shaped building that thrusts out from a rock face.
