La Cuadra Extension

La Cuadra Extension 

Un Estudio Propio

La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente

LEAD ARCHITECT
Ana Belén López Plazas

PROGRAM
Residential

PHOTOGRAPHS
Alex Lafuente

AREA
1184 Ft²

YEAR
2023

LOCATION
Los Nietos Viejos, Spain

CATEGORY
Houses

La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente

La Cuadra is a project of industrialized craftsmanship, where technical solutions go hand in hand with the rural heritage of the environment, environmental respect, local trades, and the real economy. It is an extension of the original stable where the family kept the animals.

A new green volume is supported on the original white lime-washed masonry wall, doubling the surface area and volume. It creates a large multipurpose space with a concentrated area of services at the back (kitchen, storage, laundry, bathroom, and an upper area for sleeping and working).

La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente
La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente

Located in the central area of a narrow plot, it has a garden available and is connected to the original house through a patio. These conditions create an attractive (and Mediterranean) relationship between the house and the outdoor spaces.

The project adds an elevated porch with a lightweight pergola that will serve as a guide for climbing plant species, thus completing the list of outdoor spaces for enjoyment and relaxation.

La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente
La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente

Inside, the structure is left exposed, its branched greenish-white layout connects us with the natural world, intuitively calming us (the amount of greenery in a garden is proportional to its restorative character).

The floor is a platform made of large-format pine wood panels that allow us to walk along the wood grain.

The exterior is metallic, reseda green, and lightweight, intentionally contrasting with the built environment and contributing to the contemporary cultural commitment to aesthetics and sustainability.

La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente
La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente
La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente

This is a passive strategy (sustainability of our ancestors) for a reasonable use of our natural resources.

This building takes care of and accompanies the family and neighbors.

It aims to be a cultural asset, and it wants to do so within a rural environment.

La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente
La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente
La Cuadra Extension
© Alex Lafuente


La Cuadra Extension
North elevation
La Cuadra Extension
South elevation


La Cuadra Extension
Cross section 01
La Cuadra Extension
Cross section 02
La Cuadra Extension
Cross section 03
La Cuadra Extension
Structure


La Cuadra Extension
Mezzanine floor / West elevation
La Cuadra Extension
Ground floor / Longitudinal section
La Cuadra Extension
Plans
La Cuadra Extension
Plan - Situation