
House GM
Location: Madrid
Year: 2005
Area: 773 m2
Architecture: Esteban Becerril Heredero
Construction: Maeked
Photography: Felipe Scheffel
Publication: Arquitectura y Diseño
Paintings: Álvaro Toledo
The size and shape of the plot have allowed the architects to develop a scenographic, landscape-driven approach for this project. On the entrance path, curves and broken lines chase the vision of the landscape and lead to the space where the house sits. The author compares this to the Greek temenos, the land consecrated to a god, alluding to its condition of a “sanctuary” for retreat to which every home aspires.

A service pavilion gives cohesion to the entrance area, paved in the manner of an Italian square from which you can look out to the surrounding forest. A double-height atrium connects the three levels of the building and, on the ground floor, separates the living area from the bedrooms.
The different pieces that make up the house interact in an angled configuration, where the refuge-landscape duality is the constant engine of the project.
Architectural order gives way to the world of textures. Wooden panels cover the interior of the house, which - together with decorative components - create a superposition of pleasant layers. Sliding doors allow for fluidity between living areas. The cream stone facade is immersed in the greenery, awakening a dialogue between the natural and the built.
The construction of the house called for a natural transition from the native forest to the home, which was achieved through the design of a cultivated garden space with elements of gradual wilderness.
Experiential coherence is perceived in this villa inconceivably close to Madrid in search for sensations through form, the tracing of a composition based on contemplation and reflection.