House on a Castle Mountainside - H150 Best Minimalist House Ideas (2014)

150 Best Minimalist House Ideas (2014)

House on a Castle Mountainside

Architect: Fran Silvestre, Ma José Sáez/Fran Silvestre Arquitectos

Location: Ayora, Spain

Photography: Fernando Alda

The house is located at the base of a cliff with an ancient castle atop. Its architects avoided mimetic designs and its all-white appearance makes it stand out from its rugged surroundings, but it does not fight the neighboring houses.

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From outside the house looks like a wedge sunk into the rocky hillside. Inside, the layout is stratified and organized around a vertical communication nucleus that also brings light in.

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Dramatic visual effects can be achieved by the incidence of light on forms—changing not only the atmosphere, but also the perception of the geometry.

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In minimalist architecture, components often serve both visual and functional purposes. For instance, a kitchen block can provide a nice visual break-up to a room and also divide spaces with different purposes.

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A small bathroom can look bigger when accessed through a narrow corridor. Play with differing light intensities to emphasize this effect.