Four independent units comprise the residential design developed by Carbajo Barrios, organized according to the physical characteristics of each plot: two respond to the steep slope of the land, while the other two make the most of the surrounding open space. As a result, the buildings, of varying heights, present a dynamic and diverse morphology.
The selection of materials reflects the rocky character of the site. In this sense, the concrete structure and the thermally modified wood cladding interact with the native vegetation, arranged in a succession of open spaces and evoking the natural compositions of the coastal landscape.
In constant dialogue with the exterior, each dwelling incorporates private extensions, either at ground level or on the rooftops. In this way, FOXOS is experienced as a domestic haven enveloped in gardens and permeated by the sea breeze.
Foxos by Carbajo Barrios. Photograph by Alejandro Calviño.
Project description by Carbajo Barrios
Location
FOXOS is a beach located in the Rías Baixas, south of A Lanzada, which forms part of the Umia Intertidal Complex. It is an area of high environmental and scenic value, characterised by a cliff-lined coastline crowned by a heavily anthropised coastal platform, where a scattered settlement has developed over the last 50 years.
FOXOS residential complex is located on four contiguous plots, although independent, resulting from the development of a Partial Plan approved in 2004, whose urbanisation was carried out in 2010, with standards and finishes typical of an urban space, without the use of trees or vegetation in the configuration of the public space beyond the mandatory green areas derived from the development of the corresponding Partial Plan.
Proposal
The development of a residential complex comprising four buildings is proposed, configured according to the physical characteristics of each plot. Two of these plots are located next to the coastal road that runs parallel to the coast, giving them greater presence and visual contact with the Pontevedra Estuary, while the other two are in an elevated position, perched on the upper platform.
The first two plots address the steep slope of the terrain in different ways: plot RCL1 acts as a retaining wall, while plot RCL2 generates a succession of staggered volumes that adapt to the topography. The other two plots, RCL3 and RCL4, are situated on the terrain to maximise the use of the surrounding free space. The resulting formal diversity, with buildings of varying heights, allows all the dwellings to have outdoor spaces for private use, either at ground level or using the roofs, which become gardens due to their marked vegetal character.
The construction seeks to reflect the natural character of the surrounding landscape. It is a rocky environment with a strong personality, colonised by vegetation adapted to the Atlantic climate. The concrete structure that makes up the built landscape is complemented by a natural façade of heat-treated wood, whose texture varies according to the interior spaces, acting as an enclosure, screen or sun protection element.
All of this is complemented by the treatment of open spaces, inspired by the surrounding vegetation. Native species are used, distributed in such a way as to evoke natural coastal compositions, with textures and greyish-green colours that seek to blend in with the materials used in the building envelopes. The continuity with the local vegetation reinforces the integration, dissolving the boundaries for both the distant observer and the resident.
Obtaining the plants used involved a customised production process in the nursery, parallel to the construction, for their subsequent transfer to the plot. This effort was rewarded with multiple benefits: the expansion of natural habitats, the strengthening of ecosystems, the use of plants adapted to salty winds that require less substrate, and greater integration between nature and artificial elements.
