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Amid the barren landscape of Elche, Spain sits Casa IV, a curious brick house with an arresting vaulted canopy. Designed by Barcelona based studio Mesura, the long rectilinear volume is an extension to an existing home owned by photographer Eduardo Iborra Wicksteed and wife Melinda. They commissioned an extension for a new bedroom, multipurpose room and a covered outdoor space but the outcome surpassed all expectations. We can all do a little happy dance when a simple brief becomes something quite extraordinary. And what a stunning example this is! It’s hard not to completely melt at the sight of such considerate detailing and honesty of materials.
In order to contain the sprawling site, the new extension was positioned to create a triangulated relationship between the new form, existing house and the pool. According to the architects, the intention was to organise spaces in relation to “climate, solar orientation…topography and vegetation”. Within the new volume a bedroom and lounge exist within a relatively open plan. The glazed lounge opens onto the courtyard, where an existing tree peeks through a gap in the scalloped roofline. The main rooms are separated by a bathroom pod and are linked by a narrow corridor to the existing house.
The composition of Casa IV may be enticing but it’s the materials that fully express the form and make it come alive. Brick was chosen not only for its structural properties but also for its texture and ability to provide a comfortable atmosphere. It’s also the traditional and most commonly used construction material in the area, and Mesura worked closely with local artisans to achieve a custom and individual product from manufacturing to installation. The highly graphic nature of brick with its varying rich red tones contrasts beautifully with the cool, smooth and uniform grey of the concrete vaults.
The vaults rest calmly on the northwest side of the house and appear to be suspended from a huge beam which allows for the generous open courtyard. The arrangement of walls and vaults introduces porosity between inside and outside where the transition to the exterior is seamless. Large sliding doors and glazing are obscured by hit and miss brickwork and the broad semi-circular windows bring daylight and ventilation into the spaces within. The interiors of this house are highly curated and wonderfully considered. Brass hardware, minimal furniture and unique lighting pieces are sprinkled throughout and give the home a tranquil, sculptural quality.
A rather ambitious feat, Casa IV is the product of thoroughly resolved detailing and a high level of craftsmanship. Hours of researching, planning and perfecting went into its creation and the house is marked by its long period of design and construction. The result is a beautiful home that is both a bold architectural statement and a sensitive response to site and programme. Mesura’s ultimate aspiration for Casa IV was “to master every centimetre of the final result”. This appetite for perfection is every architect’s indulgence but it’s what drives us to do better. And why the hell not when you can achieve something so stunning and functional? Bravo Mesura, revel in our collective happy dance!
[Images courtesy of Mesura. Photography by Pedro Pegenaute.]
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http://www.yellowtrace.com.au/mesura-casa-iv-spain/