The Tarragona-based architecture studio NUA arquitectures has completed a house between party walls named Casa Sandra y Mario, in a suburban growth point in the coastal municipality of Vila-Seca, Tarragona, Spain.

The plot on which the residence is projected has a narrow and elongated morphology, which is why they follow a strategy to take advantage of as much space as possible. The plot measures 4m wide and 15.60m long with a single façade facing the street, due to these measurements a volumetric exploration of space is made.
NUA architectures chooses materials typical of the identity of the place and with a low environmental impact, such as ceramics, wood and lime mortar. The dividing walls are projected with the existing stone walls of the previous construction, creating a collage between the new and old construction materials.

The existence of an interior patio provides the residence with a focus of lighting and cross ventilation in the house. This space provides an improvement in the spatial quality of the house and a great luminosity to the different areas of the house.

The house is organized on four floors that adapts to the morphology of the land. On the ground floor, we find a hall that connects with the street and welcomes users with the existence of an interior patio. On the first floor are the public spaces such as the kitchen, a toilet and the living room that communicates with the interior patio. The second floor already has a private character, where we find a bedroom and a bathroom. Finally, the third floor is organized into a bedroom, a bathroom and a more private terrace thanks to its height.

Sandra and Mario House by NUA arquitectures. Photograph by Jose Hevia.
 

Project description by NUA arquitectures

Vila-seca’s origin, in the 12th century, was in the period of repopulation of Tarragona, after a long period in which the territory was abandoned after being a frontier land between al-Andalus and the County of Barcelona. In essence, the town’s origin can be understood as an intersection of roads between the axis formed by the road that linked Cambrils with La Canonja, with the axis that linked Reus with the sea. At the central point of the crossroads, the Church of Sant Esteve is the foundational element from which the first walled town centre was formed. As early as the 16th century, the town centre of Vila-seca grew along the two seminal perpendicular axes outside the walls. This bidirectional suburban growth is materialised by rows of houses between boundary walls built along the initial road, which quickly branches out to accommodate more dwellings.

The house between boundary walls for Sandra, Mario and their two children is one that colonises a branch of the road that links the town to the sea. Following the typical structure of suburban rows, the plot has a rectangular geometry 4 m wide and 15.60 m long with a single street frontage.


Sandra and Mario House by NUA arquitectures. Photograph by Jose Hevia.

Due to the small size of the plot, the project’s strategy, which is basically explained in the section, is based on the volumetric exploration of the space through the formalisation of a light volume that contrasts with the density and mass of the urban fabric of the historic centre, to which some subtractions are made, paying special attention to the circulation of light and the richness of the space.

The staircase, in a central position and attached to one of the party walls, articulates the house and acts as a skylight, illuminating the central spaces further away from the facades. A strip of technical spaces is on the other side of the party wall. The position of this central core frees up two open spaces on either side to accommodate the programme desired by its inhabitants.

In section, the house has an asymmetrical layout. Firstly, a rear courtyard facing southwest as a continuation of the rooms on the first floor allows the house to be lit and cross-ventilated. A double space accompanies this courtyard, which improves spatial quality and maximises the penetration of natural light into the inside of the house. On the ground floor, a multi-purpose hall in contact with the street blurs the limits and takes over the public space. On the third floor, the recess in the attic allows for a more private terrace at the top.


Sandra and Mario House by NUA arquitectures. Photograph by Jose Hevia.

In the organisation of the general structure of the house, the aim was to enhance the lightness and transparency of all elements, the fluid circulation, the deep visuals, and the lighting and natural cross ventilation of the spaces to obtain comfortable living conditions at all times of the year using passive systems. At the same time, the project proposes a dialogue with the different layers of time to build a collage that accepts a to and fro between materiality, conserving and making evident the existing stone of the party walls, and using materials typical of the identity of the place and with a low environmental impact, such as ceramic, wood and lime mortar.


Sandra and Mario House by NUA arquitectures. Photograph by Jose Hevia.

In keeping with the house’s concept, the courtyard’s rear facade facing southwest has been conceived as a large glazed space that allows the whole house to receive as much light as possible in the winter, with solar protection blinds in summer. On the other hand, the heavier facade facing the street with a northeast orientation presents a composition of full and empty spaces that seeks to establish dialogue and continuity with the morphology of the houses between boundary walls in the historic centre of Vila-seca.

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Architects
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NUA arquitectures. Architects.- Arnau Tiñena, Maria Rius, Ferran Tiñena.
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Collaborators
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Collaborating architect.- Manu Prieto.
Technical architects.- Maria Escoda, Albert Vilà (amidaments).
Structural calculation.- Albert Pujol.
Structure.- Manuel Marin.
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Builder
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Baser obres i interiors.
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Area
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207,36 m².
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Location
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Vila-Seca, Tarragona, Spain.
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Manufacturers
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Carpentry.- Fusteria Jaume Olivé.
Furniture.- DM Espai Fusta.
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Photography
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NUA arquitectures is a young practice based in Tarragona and founded in 2013 by Maria Rius, Arnau Tiñena and Ferran Tiñena that explores and works in areas related to architecture and design in different scales by sensitive strategies to the memory of places and the environment.

Studio's work explores areas of architecture and design at different scales through strategies sensitive to the memory of places and the environment, seeking to provide answers to the contemporary social and cultural challenges of cities and territories through interventions that have The main objective is to improve people's lives.

NUA architectures has diversified its activity in different fields and typologies, focusing projects from the urban perspective to the detailed design simultaneously. The work and work carried out in recent years have recognized it as one of the emerging young studios in Spain and Europe, within the framework of the last three editions of the Arquia/próxima program (2014, 2016 and 2018), and this one was selected year 2023 as one of the 40 most promising studios under 40 on the continent according to the European Center for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies, and the Chicago Athenaeum Museum (Europe 40 under 40).

In 2016 it was one of the 7 studios selected to represent Catalonia at the Venice International Architecture Biennale, and recently the studio's projects have been recognized in the European Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe awards (2019), in the FAD (2018), at the Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism (2018, 2021, 2023), at the ASCER Awards (2017, 2023) and at the Alejandro de la Sota Biennial (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 ), including the extraordinary award for the last 20 years of its edition in the rehabilitation category (1997-2017), among others.

NUA's work has been published in different national and international media, and has been included in AV's "Spain 2019" yearbook. Recently the Argentine publishing house Bisman has published a monograph on his work.

The studio has been invited to give lectures at several universities and institutions in Spain, Italy, Slovenia and the United States, such as the Design Museum and the Santa Mònica Arts Center in Barcelona, COAMadrid, the Barcelona Schools of Architecture, Madrid Donosti , Valencia, Milan or Cagliari, the International Archmarathon Congress in Milan, the International Congress of the Piranesi Awards, in Slovenia. the Congresp Scaliurbani of Livorno, or the College of Architecture of the Texas A&M University and the University of Virginia, among others.

NUA architectures has been part of the teaching team at the Reus School of Art and Design (EADR), of the Barcelona University School of Design and Engineering (ELISAVA) and is currently part of the School's Projects and Urban Planning teaching team. of Architecture of Reus (EAR-URV). He has also participated as an external jury in several critical sessions at the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB-UPC), at the School of Architecture of the International University of Catalonia (UIC), at the de la Salle School of Architecture (URL), and at the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University.
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Published on: May 31, 2023
Cite: "Volumetric exploration in a house. Sandra and Mario House by NUA arquitectures" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/volumetric-exploration-a-house-sandra-and-mario-house-nua-arquitectures> ISSN 1139-6415
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