In the upmarket area of La Moraleja to the north of Madrid, this single family residence is a design project undertaken by the practices of Dahl & GHG Architects. The brief from the client was that all rooms should enjoy a garden view and that street views should be eliminated entirely.
This obviously provided a challenge for the architects in the opposing elements of privacy and openness which had to be incorporated into a single structure. Through the construction of a circular wall, a private face was presented to the street facade behind which a maze like pathway which led to the entrance to the public areas was concealed. The upper level contains the private quarters although all that is visible to passersby is a mural of urban street art installation, a colorful distraction which affords a high level of privacy to the occupants.
Once behind the wall, the ground floor is a vast open space with open plan living areas interspersed with a number of landscaped patios and courtyards, providing monitored views and allowing nature to enter the spaces at every turn. The garden facing facade is a mass of transparencies which visually merge the indoor/outdoor spaces, enhanced by the large pool which appears to be part of the house itself, its reflection playing a vital role in the maximization of the space.
