Suesa. Ribamontán al Mar. Cantabria

The house is situated in a peaceful rural environment close to the beaches of Somo and Loredo, on a small plot adjacent to single-family homes and livestock buildings. The design of the house is organized into two elegant minimalist gabled wooden volumes that reinterpret the traditional architecture of the area and promote its harmonious integration into the surroundings. The dwelling is distributed on a single floor open to the garden, maintaining a cozy and welcoming scale in contact with nature. In the main body, facing south and offering views, the living areas are located, while the secondary body, set in the background, houses storage spaces and a garage.

The intermediate space between the two architectural volumes houses the house's entrance hall, which is designed as a glazed vestibule opening onto a cozy wooden patio presided over by an olive tree. The volumetric simplicity is enriched by the carving of large abstract openings in the envelope. The large glass openings framed in concrete bands connect the dwelling with the landscape, while the perforated black metal-coated openings conceal areas that require greater privacy.

The cladding of thermotreated wood gives the envelope a dynamic and changing character, as the color of the boards transforms over time, acquiring a wide variety of tones. Through this treatment, the wood becomes inert and maintenance-free, making it highly favored in Nordic architecture.

Towards the southeast, the dwelling overlooks the main views of Peñacabarga through a large window that fully opens the corner, dematerializing the boundary between interior and exterior. Solar protection for the extensive windows is achieved through two strategies depending on their orientation: south-facing windows are sheltered from the midday sun by a longitudinal concrete overhang, while west-facing windows are shielded from afternoon radiation by a vegetal screen of jasmine. This vegetal screen also provides privacy from neighboring constructions and introduces a pleasant natural aroma into the interior of the dwelling.

The daytime area integrates the living room, dining room, kitchen, and porch into a continuous space, fostering a direct and close relationship among the occupants and between them and the garden. The interior design is simple and minimalist, thanks to the reduction of visible elements and the use of a restrained material palette. The living room and kitchen furniture are integrated into the perimeter, with much of the storage hidden behind the paneling. The large glass surfaces and light tones allow the house to fill with natural light and acquire a serene and friendly character. The high ceilings expand the space and highlight the gabled roof, lending a modern character to the design. The ensemble is enriched by incorporating touches of natural wood in the furniture and the presence of the large monolithic piece of marble that forms the kitchen island.

MOAH Architects. Architecture and interior design studio.