Architect Javier Sanjurjo and architectural design studio Ameneiros Rey have completed an L-shaped house in Vilalba, Spain, featuring living spaces elevated above the ground on pillars to optimise views of the surrounding nature.
Berlin-based architect Javier Sanjurjo designed the Hórreo House for his parents, who still live in his hometown of Vilalba in Galicia, with support from local studio Ameneiros Rey.
Hórreo House is elevated on pillars
The house is situated on a plot that was deemed too awkward to build on by many people due to a significant drop in level from the adjacent access road.
Sanjurjo saw an opportunity to create a building raised above the steeply sloping ground by pillars that allow it to provide practical, accessible living spaces on the same level as the street. The house has an L-shaped form
"I was mesmerised when I discovered the spectacular views hidden behind the old concrete wall, between the plot and the public road," said the architect, who explained that the design is based on traditional granary buildings called hórreos.
The hórreos found in the surrounding region are elevated above the ground to protect the stored grain from rodents. Using a similar principle, the Hórreo House features a central block and pillars at either end that support the two wings.
The street-facing elevation is clad in rugged local stone
Another reason for raising the building to street level was to enable wheelchair access to the living spaces and bedro...