Project posted by Diana Budds
Refuge
“Segovia is a very central region, but an underdeveloped one,” de la Quadra-Salcedo says. “Traditionally devoted to agriculture and mainly livestock, it flourished in the sixteenth century but now that the older generations are disappearing, there is a problem of abandoned villages and fields.” The structure highlights the rural surroundings.
Churtichaga and de la Quadra-Salcedo purchased a parcel of former farmland to build their vacation home twelve years ago but only recently completed the house—a timber-clad minimalist structure expertly designed to disappear into the scenic landscape.
The top floor of the two-story, 1,614-square-foot abode barely pokes above the rocky hillside it’s built into. Sliding glass walls on two sides of the main living space open to expansive cantilevered decks showcasing the bucolic landscape.
A consistent wood palette makes the interior feel cohesive.
The kids room is outfitted with built-in bunk beds.
Downstairs, bedrooms and a library offer private spaces. Wide-plank blond wood wraps the walls, floors, and ceilings, creating a cozy shiplike experience.
The library is accessed by a sliding wood door.
Credits
Posted by
Architect
ch+qs
Josemaria Churtichaga
Cayetana de la Quadra-Salcedo
Photographer
From Diana Budds
In central Spain, a pair of architects craft a modern vacation home attuned to its pastoral setting.
Josemaria Churtichaga and Cayetana de la Quadra-Salcedo live in the Spanish capital of Madrid where they head a thriving architectural practice. While their work regularly includes large-scale cultural centers and public commissions, the couple managed to craft a modest refuge for themselves and their children in rural Segovia.
Though the structure is firmly planted in the 21st century, sheep from a farm across the road still meander to Churtichaga and de la Quadra-Salcedo’s house to graze—an enduring reminder of the region’s history and traditions.