Recycling and control. Single-family house in Roche by DL+A Arquitectos

Description of project by DL+A Arquitectos

Located in Cádiz, this dwelling arises as a reflection on the intervention on pre-existing structures and the way in which architectural design can dialogue with the memory of the place. It is a renovation project in which the pre-existence is not understood as a limitation but as a starting point for redefining the spatial experience without distancing the building from its original identity.

The house, original from the Roche housing estate of the 1970s, with all its neo-rural details, is not demolished, although there would have been a small economic saving if we had done so. The entire bay, including the location and views of the old living room, all the foundations and part of the load-bearing walls, were used. The memories of the inhabitants who bought the original house (a very well known national architect, who commissioned us to build his house), remain. The trees and gardens remain the same. Waste generated is reduced by 70%. The roof tiles are reused. The house is different and it is the same.

The concept of the intervention is based on the premise of preserving and enhancing the essence of the house, taking advantage of its structure to update it to the client's contemporary needs. Instead of imposing an alien architecture, the project immerses itself in the essence of the building and reinterprets it, introducing a new way of experiencing the interior space.

One of the most decisive aspects in the design has been the consideration of the region's prevailing winds, the poniente and levante, whose influence on daily life in Cádiz is undeniable. This climatic condition becomes a fundamental factor in the layout and configuration of the house.

The living room, conceived as the heart of the home, opens generously in both directions through large, strategically placed windows. This decision not only responds to the search for cross ventilation and thermal comfort, but also generates a changing atmosphere depending on the prevailing wind of the day. On easterly days, the westerly wind softens the thermal sensation and the sometimes unpleasant winds, while on westerly days, the easterly wind cools the atmosphere. 

In this way, the architecture adapts to nature rather than resisting it, making the breeze an active element of the project. The user changes the use of the house and its porches, depending on the winds, in a natural way. The large eaves of minimal thickness become the image of the new-old house. Even if you are not using it, you can always see the two gardens in this transparent house. The one with the big pine trees and the one with the water.

This project demonstrates that a conscious architecture that respects its surroundings can revitalise the existing without erasing its essence. Through a strategy that values both the memory of the building and the natural conditions of the site, the house becomes an example of how design can respond sensitively to the challenges of contemporary living.