House in Carrer Major in Colònia de Sant Pere

Although it does not seem so, it is a terraced house, with ground floor and first floor. It has been designed in collaboration with the wood master craftsman Jordi Ribas. Without his involvement, this project wouldn’t come true. From the start it was thought with bioconstruction and sustainability rules, the project was materializing creating organic forms, looking for good orientation, nice views and optimizing interior spaces. The house has been designed attached to north dividing wall, with a porch in façade and a south patio which surrounds whole house practically. In this way, we get that natural light entry and drafty exceed any other attached house, and the detached house benefits are practically achieved.

The main façade towards the street has one car access and another pedestrian. Both look out onto a porch prior to the house, which will be used as garage. Once that we have gone into the house we find the main space: living-kitchen-dining room, therein the fire place is the central pillar, where all the beams out radially, like a tree covering all rooms. In organic architecture, the roof is considered a great element of importance and, besides its covering function, a protector function and cosy is given to it, a factor that should be able to impose harmony in the environment.

Regarding to arrangement, on the ground floor, as we said, we found the living-kitchen-dining room, and also two rooms, a bathroom, the laundry and the stairs which communicate with the first floor. This stairs are made from wood and is opened to main space. On the first floor we find a small hall which gives access to a room, a bathroom and exterior terrace; this is outlined as a solarium-viewpoint, from where we can see sea and Montferrutx.

BIOCONSTRUCTION RULES

1. SUITABLE LOCATION: Before starting the plan, a geobiological study was made in the plot where the house had to be built, in order to define geopathogenic areas. A waterway and a telluric chimney were found. Hartmann lines and Curry were also placed. This was taken into account since the beginning, so rooms and bed location have been designed avoiding these zones.

2. GOOD ORIENTATION: The house is opened to south, taking advantage of winter sun to the maximum. In the summer, wood shutters are used for sun protection. The right openings position permits cross ventilation in summer to cool the interior environment.

3. ENERGY MANAGEMENT: The building does not require cooling system, because it works passively, only using wall thermal inertia, good insulation and shutters suitable use. Heating system makes use of renewable energy, because consists of a underfloor heating with collector heated up by four solar panels, with the only biomass boiler support, which also provides hot water.

4. GOOD MATERIALS USE: Façades are made with Arliblock and interior and exterior facings are made with lime base. Isolations are from natural cork, beams are from pine wood recycled and ceilings are made with wood to reduce concrete use. Plumbing is made with PE tubes and not with PVC, electrical installation is made with PE conduits, and wiring is halogen free. Electrical disconnect has been put in rooms to avoid electromagnetic pollution during rest hours.

5. WATER MANAGEMENT: Sewage is collected and recycled by small water treatment plant, then is used to supply toilet tanks and water the garden. Rainwater is collected in a buried tank for reusing later, both for drinking water as for housing needs.