House in Coiros / Bals Arquitectos

Curated by ArchDaily

Architects: Bals Arquitectos
Area: 293 m²
Year: 2012

Text description provided by the architects. This house was created with the intention of making quality architecture in an environment dominated by what has been popularly known as traditional housing typology in Galicia (gable roof, complementary constructions,...) usually with poor results and which has little relation with the real traditional Galician architecture and much more with economical and growing processes. It has been designed working with the formal and emotional collective impact, that has emerged around this way of “making” architecture in the last few decades.

We are interested in the study of everything that contributes to the fragile continuity between the current and previous architecture, based on the fact of our profession changes very slowly in society and in time.

We believe that there are certain elements that are still valid to enable an alternative path to this generalized model, which are sensitive to the enviroment and that can be taken advantage of, despite their humilty, to improve the situation of the perverted existing scenery.

The space´s order is based on the division of the land, drawn up by the administration, where the plots are presented in a balanced way with paved roads as main requirement. Existing planning regulations reduce certain possibilities of working with the positioning of the house and the suggestions that surroundings could produce.

References now, come from the expression of human activity in the form of buildings, infrastructure or green fences. If we had to describe this landscape, would be through these new elements (for our generation are as old as our memory).

The identity of the house is not given by its position within a settlement but is based on its image inserted into the landscape and merging all its components.

An anonymous house at the end of a path, located on a horizontal and unremarkable plot, with a road as horizon.

Conceptual reduction of the house around its essential elements:

Gable roof, white and abstract like the walls which support it.
Sawn stone base, solid support on the ground.
Garage connected to the house through covered access but open to the patio.
The South porch, space between the living room and kitchen which gives breadth and depth to the ground floor.
Finally, the open space of the communal area where the concept of the house is reveal led and from which private areas are organized.

Within a very limited field of action in all aspects ,we did ,with this house, an exercise in abstraction, thiking that a quality architecture model is possible today, different but connected from what we inherited.