Villa 95 Sotogrande by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos
Photography by Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
Text description provided by the architects. The Villa 95 project is located on an irregularly shaped plot within Altos de Valderrama, in Sotogrande. From the beginning, the main premise was to maximize the relationship between the dwelling and the natural environment, seeking to blend daily living with the place. The site has a slight slope, allowing for a great depth of landscape.
The project is configured through three simple elements that are grouped dynamically to adapt to the orientation and the challenging geometry of the plot. The inhabited bodies have the longest possible proportion to increase contact with nature. They contain the land and the vehicular access to the north and northwest, while two of the elements open to the east, including the pool terrace and the night area, while the day area opens to the south. The two communication cores are found at the junction between the pieces. The structure of the house defines its spatiality; we like to think it adapts to the place as if it had always been there.
The commission included a clear desire from its inhabitants to conceive a house capable of accommodating multiple generations. This idea of permanence and versatility translates into a rational structure that allows for functional flexibility in the use of spaces, adaptable to the different lifestyles of those who inhabit it. We understand this versatility as a form of sustainability, as it is built to last over time. With the same attitude, architecture is proposed to be free from trends, with the ability to adapt to future moments, with a will to transcend time and avoid becoming obsolete. We have always been inspired by this timeless vocation in late Renaissance Italian villas, especially those from the 16th century, which have witnessed the passage of generations, drawing a continuity between architecture, time, and life in the Veneto.
The current inhabitants, with a vibrant social life, requested that the house feature a belvedere-shaped terrace, a privileged spot from which to contemplate the landscape and welcome their guests. This space is located above the main floor’s roof, functioning as an elevated extension of the living area, an open scene toward an interesting landscape. The basement incorporates a comprehensive health space, conceived as a shared-use area, illuminated by a light well. The users intend to live in the house intensely; therefore, spaces are arranged for working, exercising... all facilities are included since the house has an aerothermal and geothermal system that makes it energy self-sufficient.
Pedestrian access occurs from the lower corner of the plot, via a protected entrance terrace, while the ascending slope of the street allows vehicular access to the house from the highest point, comfortably arriving at the same level as the day area. This naturally resolves the transition between public space and domestic interior. We like to imagine the house many decades from now, transformed by its future inhabitants, adapted to needs that we cannot even begin to imagine today, but which architecture will have embraced without losing its essence.
