Casa Tamariu has a footprint of 11 by 11 meters and has two floors. The villa can accommodate ten people. The ground floor has partly been pushed into the mountain; The – therefore cool – sleeping areas and technical rooms are located in this part. The floor cantilevers with a loggia-like outdoor space on three sides, providing shelter from the blazing sun on both the ground floor and the first floor.
The floor functions as a living area with views to three sides. The large horizontal windows in the cantilever create panoramic frames around the landscape. Sun protection is not necessary due to the overhang; This way, views and daylight are guaranteed, says Keizer Koopmans.
Living floor
Most of the glass facade can be opened as sliding doors, adding one and a half meters to the living space. Ceiling and floor finishes run seamlessly from inside to outside, eliminating the transition between indoor and outdoor space.
The stairs are centrally located in the floor plan and around it are the functional spaces such as the kitchen and the storage room. A circulation is created around this core, with the natural finishing touch being a comfortable seating area against the rear facade. Thanks to the addition of a bedroom on the first floor, a couple only needs to occupy this top floor in winter.
Outdoor spaces
On the east side, an access staircase cuts in a straight line through the landscape, from street level to the green rear of the plot. On the west side, the landscape slopes against the underside of the overhang. The main entrance to the villa is located on the east facade, halfway up the stairs and out of the course of the outdoor terrace, says the architectural firm
Different types of outdoor spaces are located in a path along the villa and are separated by subtle height differences. A planter surrounds the outdoor spaces like a green balustrade.
The terrace has an outdoor kitchen integrated into the facade. Here too, there is a logical end point of the surrounding space, the architects explain: in the lowest part of the terrace there is a spacious swimming pool along the south facade.
Integrated into the landscape
The villa stands firmly as a monolith in a hilly Spanish landscape. The design in natural colors and materials ensures optimal integration of Casa Tamariu into its environment. Sand-colored natural stone, from a quarry about 300 kilometers further south on the Spanish coast, forms the basis. By treating all surfaces equally, it appears as if the villa’s plinth has been hewn out of the rock, according to Keizer Koopmans.
The facade of the cantilevered floor has coarse plaster in the same color tone as the sand-colored natural stone. The light sand color is completed by aluminum frames in a dark bronze shade and elements of dark brown wood.
For this assignment, Keizer Koopmans worked with local architect B01 Arquitectes and Alex Gaillard as technical architect.
