A thin and compact prism. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos
07/01/2022.
[MAD] Spain
metalocus, VALERIA OZUNA
metalocus, VALERIA OZUNA
The Galgo house, designed by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos, has a volume conditioned by urban rules and the narrow proportions of the plot where it is located, urbanization on the outskirts of Madrid.
With these premises, the project makes virtue of its limitations and is born as a compact and thin prism that, without giving up privacy, achieves sensations of spaciousness and luminosity throughout their interior spaces.
The single-family home is only 4 meter wide, so the entire program is developed mainly in height. The five floors of the project organize the rooms into living, leisure, and private areas.
With these premises, the project makes virtue of its limitations and is born as a compact and thin prism that, without giving up privacy, achieves sensations of spaciousness and luminosity throughout their interior spaces.
The single-family home is only 4 meter wide, so the entire program is developed mainly in height. The five floors of the project organize the rooms into living, leisure, and private areas.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal.
Ground floor plan. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos.
Basement and garage. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos.
First floor. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos.
Second floor. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos.
Roof plan. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos.
North elevation. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos.
South elevation. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos.
Longitudinal section. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos.
Main elevation to the street and Section through the courtyard. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos.
Cross sections. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos.
Axonometry. Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos.
Murado & Elvira Arquitectos work intelligently with light and choose to provide the house with different perforations and open spaces, in the form of a patio, garden or terrace, in order to expand and complement the interior spaces of the house that is built in a very compact urban environment.
The program has been organized so that the access and garden are on the ground floor. On the first floor, the terrace, master bedroom and bathroom. While on the second floor the guest bedrooms, with the rooftop solarium, are placed in an interesting set of vertical spatial connections that generate a surprising interior spatiality.
The basement is illuminated through a dug patio that occupies the entire front of the plot. Over this void, a bridge connects the street directly to the garden and the entrance of the house.
The program has been organized so that the access and garden are on the ground floor. On the first floor, the terrace, master bedroom and bathroom. While on the second floor the guest bedrooms, with the rooftop solarium, are placed in an interesting set of vertical spatial connections that generate a surprising interior spatiality.
The basement is illuminated through a dug patio that occupies the entire front of the plot. Over this void, a bridge connects the street directly to the garden and the entrance of the house.
Galgo House by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos. Photograph by Imagen Subliminal
Description of project by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos
The house is built in a long and narrow plot in a quiet residential area in Madrid, unused for years due to its unusual proportions. It accommodates the floor plan requirements inside a volume only 4 meters wide, resulting in a thin and compact prism.
On each level small outdoor spaces are inserted, allowing for a rich spatial experience while keeping the necessary privacy in a dense residential neighborhood. This sequence encompasses a courtyard on the basement level, a garden with a swimming pool on the ground floor and a double-height terrace on the first floor expand and complement the tight interior of the house. Thus, the usual sequence of stacked levels is challenged and turned into a dynamic vertical landscape.
The basement is illuminated through a dug patio that occupies the entire front of the plot. Over this void, a bridge connects the street directly to the garden and the entrance of the house.
The ground floor opens into the garden and the pool, which runs longitudinally along the edge. On this level, the living room and kitchen have large windows that allow the continuity of these spaces. Large perforated metal sliding shutters nuance the light. The circular cutouts of the sliding doors become the identity of the house.
On the first level, the main bedroom area occupies the whole floor, consisting of a bedroom, a walk-in closet and a large bathroom. The bathroom connects to the main terrace on the front of the volume. This terrace is enclosed by double-height walls with some openings to keep privacy and enjoy views, like a room without a roof. A spiral staircase floats over this space, connecting the second floor to the solarium on the roof, where you can enjoy the wide views of the entire area.
More information
Architects
Project team
Christine Gutiérrez Chevalier, Victoria Bosch.
Collaborators
Site management.- Clara Murado, Juan Elvira. Technical architect.- Alfonso del Castillo. Structure engineering.- Ezequiel Fernández Guinda. Technical systems engineering.- Tecnotec.
Client
Builder
Area
Plot.- 266 sqm. Built 280 sqm.
Dates
Project.- 2017. Construction.- 2019.
Manufacturers
Kitchen.- studio2. Lighting fixtures.- Glumdesign. Mechanisms and switches.- Hager. Sanitary ware.- Roca.
Location
Madrid, Spain.
Photography
Murado & Elvira Arquitectos
Murado & Elvira is a Madrid-based multidisciplinary office founded by Juan Elvira and Clara Murado in 2003 dedicated to innovative architecture and interior design. They propose a sustainable approach to design, where user participation, shared creativity and building techniques seek to benefit both society and nature.
Their work has been awarded in many national and international competitions, and has been exhibited at prestigious venues as the Mostra Internazionale de Architettura di Venezia or the Bienal de Arquitectura Española. It has been finalist at the norwegian national architecture prize Staten Byggeskikkpris 2012 and selected at the Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo 2013.
Claro Murado, studied architecture in Madrid ETSAM and spent one year at the IUAV in Venezia (Italy). She met Juan Elvira during her academic career and started their collaboration right there. After completing her architecture degree, she took a Masters Degree in Advanced Architecture Design in Columbia, New York. Back to Spain, she founded Murado & Elvira along with his partner.
Clara is a Project Design Associated Professor at the Universidad de Arquitectura de Alcalá and visiting professor at national and international schools. Along with her academic and professional career, she runs an editorial task as editor and director of diverse architectural publications. Her love for graphic design and visual thinking lead to the funding in 2015 of M&E Gráfico, the bi-dimensional twin of M&E Arquitectos.
Juan Elvira, studied architecture in Madrid ETSAM and spent one year at the IUAV in Venezia (Italy). He met Clara Murado during his academic career and started their collaboration right there. After completing his architecture degree, he also studied an advanced design master in Columbia University, New York (2000). When he returned to Spain, he worked for Arquitectura, the oldest architecture publication in Spain. Soon he co-founded his own magazine and finally founded Murado & Elvira Architects along with his partner.
He obtained his Phd degree with honors in 2015. The manuscript, called “Ghost Architecture. Space and the production of Ambient Effects” has been awarded with 1st mention at Arquia/Tesis foundation thesis prize in 2015 and has been finalist at the Bienal Iberoamericana de Arquitectura 2016.
Juan is Project Design Associated professor at the ETSAM, Urban Design professor at IE University, and visiting professor at national and international schools. Along with his academic and professional career, he also runs a critical and editorial task, as editor of diverse architectural publications and author of numerous essays in specialized books and journals.
Their work has been awarded in many national and international competitions, and has been exhibited at prestigious venues as the Mostra Internazionale de Architettura di Venezia or the Bienal de Arquitectura Española. It has been finalist at the norwegian national architecture prize Staten Byggeskikkpris 2012 and selected at the Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo 2013.
Claro Murado, studied architecture in Madrid ETSAM and spent one year at the IUAV in Venezia (Italy). She met Juan Elvira during her academic career and started their collaboration right there. After completing her architecture degree, she took a Masters Degree in Advanced Architecture Design in Columbia, New York. Back to Spain, she founded Murado & Elvira along with his partner.
Clara is a Project Design Associated Professor at the Universidad de Arquitectura de Alcalá and visiting professor at national and international schools. Along with her academic and professional career, she runs an editorial task as editor and director of diverse architectural publications. Her love for graphic design and visual thinking lead to the funding in 2015 of M&E Gráfico, the bi-dimensional twin of M&E Arquitectos.
Juan Elvira, studied architecture in Madrid ETSAM and spent one year at the IUAV in Venezia (Italy). He met Clara Murado during his academic career and started their collaboration right there. After completing his architecture degree, he also studied an advanced design master in Columbia University, New York (2000). When he returned to Spain, he worked for Arquitectura, the oldest architecture publication in Spain. Soon he co-founded his own magazine and finally founded Murado & Elvira Architects along with his partner.
He obtained his Phd degree with honors in 2015. The manuscript, called “Ghost Architecture. Space and the production of Ambient Effects” has been awarded with 1st mention at Arquia/Tesis foundation thesis prize in 2015 and has been finalist at the Bienal Iberoamericana de Arquitectura 2016.
Juan is Project Design Associated professor at the ETSAM, Urban Design professor at IE University, and visiting professor at national and international schools. Along with his academic and professional career, he also runs a critical and editorial task, as editor of diverse architectural publications and author of numerous essays in specialized books and journals.
