On a narrow and elongated plot with a north-south orientation in the city of Alicante, in eastern Spain, the architecture studio subarquitectura has designed a home for the North family.

The house is understood as an element of protection against the adjacent, very close, and invasive buildings, which is resolved using overhangs, lattices, and vegetation, which also creates a microclimate foreign to the rest of the buildings.
The housing designed by subarquitectura is understood as a set of different typologies depending on the floor plan. Loft on the ground floor, a plot of spaces on the first floor, and a beach bar in the tower.

The ground floor developed on the north-south axis as a continuation of the street, houses the daytime program with a swimming pool and a garden. The first floor houses the night program which is accessed from a light metal staircase. Finally, through an external staircase, you access the tower, which with a kitchen and a fireplace allows you to appreciate the views of the sea and the mountains both in summer and winter.

The house is built with concrete for its walls and floors, and with bards, atobas, and ceramic pieces for the lattices, ceilings, bathrooms, and pool.
 


North House by subarquitectura. Photograph by Fran Alvarez.

Project description by subarquitectura

A narrow and elongated plot facing north-south, surrounded by very close and invasive constructions.

The house is understood as an element of protection and shelter from the adjacent buildings, protecting itself from the views of the neighbours by means of overhangs, lattices and vegetation, generating a microclimate, an interior world of its own, alien to the rest of the constructions.

An adapted ramp lands at the midpoint of the house. Due to the client's physical conditions, the house had to be able to be traversed in a continuous and fluid manner.

Each floor is understood as a different typology, loft on the ground floor, a plot of spaces on the first floor and a beach bar in the tower.


North House by subarquitectura. Photograph by Fran Alvarez.

The ground floor is developed across the north-south axis without continuity, the daytime programme of the house is a continuation of the street, kitchen, living room, dining room, terrace, swimming pool and a well-tended garden.

The first floor contains the bedrooms (night-time programme), which are accessed via a light metal staircase leading to a generous hallway for the three bedrooms.

An external staircase gives access to the upper floor (tower) where exceptional views of the sea and the mountains look out over the rest of the buildings. A small kitchen and a fireplace allow for festive use of the tower in both summer and winter.

The house is built with few and repeated elements, concrete for walls and floors, barding, atobas and ceramic pieces for lattice, ceilings, bathrooms and swimming pool.

More information

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Architects
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Collaborators
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Construction supervision.- Ivón Fernandez.
Project.- Opera Severitas.
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Client
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North Family.
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Area
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240 sqm + basement.
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Dates
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2022.
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Location
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Alicante, Spain.
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Photography
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Subarquitectura is an architecture studio founded in April 2005 and formed by Andrés Silanes (NOV 77), Fernando Valderrama (AGO 79), and Carlos Bañón (OCT 78).

They are architects from the University of Alicante (OCT 04) and have a Master's in Complex Architecture (2005-2007).

They have carried out infrastructure works such as the SQUARE AND TRAM STOP at the Sergio Cardell roundabout (2006), which has been awarded at the IX Biennial of Spanish Architecture, Nominated for the 2009 Mies Van der Rohe awards, Finalist at the Valencian Community, Second Prize Lamp Lighting Solutions, Honorable Mention at the Balthasar Neumann Biennial in Germany, as well as Selected among the 10 best designs in the world by the Design Museum of London.

They have built various sports equipment such as the 3D ATHLETICS TRACK in Elda (2010), obtaining the silver medal from the International Olympic Committee for the best sports equipment and the Gold Medal from the International Paralympic Committee, they have completed the PEDREGUER SPORTS PAVILION selected in the exhibition of the architecture of Alicante 2018.

Among the residential projects built by the studio, CASA 360 (2008) stands out with more than 70 international publications, and the Hotel SANTA CREU on the Island of Tabarca (2017), which has obtained mention in the Alicante Architecture Exhibition 2017/2018, Mention in the ASCER awards and First prize for the best Work of the Valencia Community biennial (2017-2018)

In 2010 the studio was nominated for the prestigious INTERNATIONAL IAKOV CHERNIKHOV PRIZE.

They are currently carrying out projects in Spain, Mexico, and Singapore.

They have been guest professors at MIT Boston, EPFL Lausanne, KEA Copenhagen, and UIC Barcelona. They currently carry out teaching activities at the Alicante School of Architecture and the SUTD in Singapore.
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Published on: February 14, 2024
Cite: "Generating an indoor microclimate. North House by subarquitectura" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/generating-indoor-microclimate-north-house-subarquitectura> ISSN 1139-6415
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