A Slender Brick House Keeps Things Cool in the South of Spain

Serrano & Baquero uses robust materials to create a surprisingly airy home with a sublime patio.

Text by

Sonia Zhuravlyova

Photos by

Fernando Alda

View 18 Photos

Horacio and Vanesa fondly recall spending time as children in the plains of Granada, Spain—and they wanted to share the experience with their two kids, Marco and Mauro. In 2017, they acquired a narrow plot near Albolote, at the foot of the Tajo Colorado mountain range, where they could enjoy the murmur of irrigation channels, the cool shade of poplars, the aroma of tobacco drying houses, and distant views of the Sierra Nevada landscape. Site secured, they commissioned Serrano & Baquero to design a home as a love letter to the local ambiance and agricultural vernacular.

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The firm responded to the geometry of the plot by proposing an elongated form with a sharply pitched roof, which is reminiscent of the region’s tobacco drying houses. Taking into account the topography and the sunny climate, Serrano & Baquero positioned latticed sections of brick at various heights to afford the best views while providing privacy and shade.

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The home’s interiors are defined by light colors and rough texture—the poured concrete walls display their origins, while the ceramic bricks are positioned at juxtaposed angles to add visual interest. Timber floors run throughout. At the back of the home, a large, covered courtyard and a swimming pool overlook a nearby olive grove.