Inspired by the complex topography, the house designed by Estudio Arquitectura Hago organizes its living spaces on two levels: the upper volume serves as a viewpoint overlooking the valley, while the lower level is articulated around a courtyard with historical character, defined by the existing stonework recovered during the excavation.
CL House is a series of operations aimed at achieving a continuous balance between the urban environment, traditional construction, and contemporary domestic requirements. The forms and typologies adopted highlight the resources of local architecture, while maintaining a spatial and compositional approach that is relevant to our time.
CL House by Estudio Arquitectura Hago. Photograph by Gabriel Gallego.
Project description by Estudio Arquitectura Hago
The house is located in the Historic Centre of Villafranca del Bierzo, next to the Convent of La Anunciada and close to the confluence of the Valcárcel and Burbia rivers. The plot, which concealed the remains of an old stone dwelling, presents a complex topographic condition with multiple façade fronts developed across two levels: an upper level accessed from Rúa Nueva, and a lower level connected to Plaza de la Anunciada.
The project engages in a dialogue with local architectural forms and typologies, proposing an intervention that mediates with its surroundings through two juxtaposed volumes conceived as a hinge between the city, the landscape and the built memory. The upper volume is conceived as a lookout opening towards the valley, while the lower volume is organised around a historic courtyard, defined by the stone remains uncovered during the excavation process.
Both levels accommodate a complete domestic programme—living/kitchen area, bathroom and bedroom—allowing the house to be inhabited autonomously on either floor and to adapt over time to different patterns of use.
Externally, two key design decisions articulate the relationship between the plot and the urban space. From Rúa Nueva, a large access walkway integrates the stone walls into the built landscape, establishing a gradual transition between street and dwelling. At the lower level, an inverted triangular support restructures the plot, creating a generous porch and providing the courtyard with controlled angles of privacy in relation to Rúa Santa Clara.
The result is a balanced coexistence between traditional architecture and the proposed formal and typological solutions. The house is embedded in time, embracing the values of local architecture while projecting a contemporary spatial and compositional reading.
