Valencia-based architecture firm Fran Silvestre Arquitectos has completed a new residence with two wings in Valencia, Spain.
Called The Empty House, the 814-square-metre house is developed as part of a fragment of the 20th-century structure, by preserving the historic façade of the exisiting building from the street level.
Image © Jesús Orrico
Located on the main street of a town near Valencia, passers-by still encounter the façade of the old building at the façade level.
Image © Fernando Guerra
The studio has protected the existing façade and the building footprint, but since an additional space is needed for the overall programme, the architects has configured the new building with two wings towards the north.
While one of the wings is longer, the other wing is shorter and ends up with an open swimming pool.
Image © Fernando Guerra
Based on the contextual parameteres, Fran Silvestre Arquitectos has proposed to empty the interior space of the existing building and arranged the new programme.
Image © Fernando Guerra
“From the outside, the façade maintains its character, without modifying the street, which becomes a kind of scenery from another era,” said the studio.
“The tone of this old façade is unified with an antelope gray treatment that goes completely unnoticed.”
“Crossing the threshold we find ourselves in another time.”
“Only what is necessary is closed and air-conditioned and a triple-height volume is generated that in a climate like the Mediterranean we can use throughout the year,” the studio added.
Image © Jesús Orrico
The programme of the house includes three bedrooms, guest bedroom, workshop, kitchen and dining room, living room, covered terrace and swimming pool on the groun floor.
Two bedrooms, master bedroom, two bathrooms, walk-in-closet, office and terrace are placed on the first floor. A multipurpose room with skylight is arranged on the second floor.
Image © Fernando Guerra
The day area is located close to the dividing wall, in continuity with a pool large enough to swim, which seems to get lost in the Valencian fields.
The guest room and the multipurpose room resolve the change of direction that the site offers, a twist between two pieces separated by just a few millimeters.
Image © Fernando Guerra
The rest of the space on this floor is empty, which will makethe studio wonder about the size of a room whose depth of landscape seems to have no limits.
Image © Fernando Guerra
The night area is arranged transversally as a bridge framing the views. The master bedroom is located above the living room with the same orientation. The section gives the studio a floor plan with sloping roofs with an entrance of light from above, a space that time will put to use.
Image © Fernando Guerra
The wood from the old beams of the house in ruins is reused to build the furniture of the house, and just as it has been sought with the space of the house, it becomes a material that acquires a new life.
Image © Jesús Orrico
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Jesús Orrico
Image © Jesús Orrico
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Jesús Orrico
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Jesús Orrico
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Jesús Orrico
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Jesús Orrico
Image © Fernando Guerra
Image © Fernando Guerra
Plot plan
Ground floor plan
First floor plan
Second floor plan
Section
Main elevation
Fran Silvestre Arquitectos also designed a private permeable home that makes up a cantilevered volume on the upper floor in Burriana, Spain. Other completed project of the studio is NIU N70, a transparent house in Spain.
Project facts
Project name: The Empty House
Architecture: Fran Silvestre Arquitectos
Location: Valencia, Spain
Size: 814m2
Team: Fran Silvestre, María Masià, Sevak Asatrián, Paco Chinesta.
Interior design: Alfaro Hofmann
Building Engineer Consultans: Silverio Soriano (Technical Architect of the Project), Enrique Alario (Collaborator).
Structural Engineers: DOF Ingenieros
General Contractor: Construcciones Ribera
Completion date: 2022
Top image © Jesús Orrico.
All drawings © Fran Silvestre Arquitectos.
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