There are many sides to Spain. Almost entirely located on the Iberian Peninsula, the country also includes two major exclaves located in Africa. While its mainland is bordered by Portugal, France and Andorra, the country is simultaneously bounded by a number of seas and dramatic coastlines. The two main boundaries, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, are further subdivided into regions like the Alboran Sea, the Bay of Biscay and the Balearic Sea. With remarkable landscapes, rare vistas and rich culture, these diverse sites hold some of Spain’s greatest architecture.
From the surfing waters in Tarifa to the picturesque shorelines of San Sebastián, Spain’s coastlines have experienced radically different levels of development due to tourism, economic investment and geography. Typically, development has been most intense where the coastline is flat. With private holiday villas, hillside retreats and beachfront bungalows, the coastline is dotted with residences both simple and striking in nature.
We’ve drawn together the following collection of private seaside homes from the Architizer database, projects sited throughout Spain’s varied oceanfront landscapes. Designed to connect to the sea, forests or mountains, they prioritize view, passive building strategies and spaces for socializing. The projects showcase varied scales and material choices while exploring the compelling culture and contemporary designs of the Spanish coast.
© Fran Silvestre Arquitectos
© Fran Silvestre Arquitectos
Atrium House by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos, Valencia, Spain
This residential project was made to maximize the perception of spaciousness within an urban area. A private space was carved in the middle of the site that includes a large open area. The program was carefully organized along the existing slope to the ravine, while the project also includes distant views of the Sierra Calderona.
© MVN Arquitectos
© MVN Arquitectos
AA House by MVN Arquitectos, Mojácar, Spain
The AA Home was carefully designed to embrace its context and not destroy it. Opening the project to the horizon, interior spaces frame views while picking up on the nuances of the sunrise and sunset. The house was made to capitalize on its privileged viewpoint while defining a protected, safe space.
© Teo Hidalgo Nacher
© Teo Hidalgo Nacher
Ripollés-Manrique House by Teo Hidalgo Nacher, La Parreta, Spain
Located on an isolated estate near the town of Benicassim, the Ripollés-Manrique House is surrounded by pine trees and dramatic views. Overlooking the Mediterranean atop a hill in Montornés, the residence emerged as a response to steep slopes and a difficult terrain. Maintaining privacy while opening up to its surroundings, the design was made with a series of transition spaces between inside and outside.
© ANTONIO ALTARRIBA ARQUITECTO
© ANTONIO ALTARRIBA ARQUITECTO
Monasterios House by ANTONIO ALTARRIBA ARQUITECTO, Valencia, Spain
Sited in the “Los Monasterios” residential area and the Calderona Mountains, this house enjoys a high position and views out to the sea. Overlooking Valencia’s gulf, the design emerges from the mountain as a series of stone volumes. These compact volumes include an open façade oriented towards the sea and a big front terrace with an infinity pool.
© Roland Halbe architectural photographer
© Roland Halbe architectural photographer
Jardin Del Sol House by ca+a architects | Corona, Amaral + Asociados, Tacoronte, Spain
The Jardin Del Sol House was made as a glass and concrete structure on the edge of a cliff. Resting atop a wooden platform, the project overlooks the Teide and the whole coast north of Tenerife. Merging the house with the environment, the design includes a parallelepiped shaped module and double-height space that surrounds a black pool. Clad with continuous glass panels, the façade is further protected by wooden shutters and outdoor canvas blinds.
© Cadaval & Solà-Morales
© Sandra Pereznieto
Sunflower House by Cadaval & Solà-Morales, El Port de la Selva, Spain
Carefully located between a small fishing village and the Natural Park of the Cabo de Creus, the Sunflower House was sited overlooking the Mediterranean near the hard rock of the Costa Brava. The house embraces the landscape and frames where the Pyrenees meet the water. The design was segmented into multiple programmatic units defined through a continuous perimeter that connects to the landscape.
© Wiel Arets Architects
© Wiel Arets Architects
Jellyfish House by Wiel Arets Architects, Marbella, Spain
Sited along the Mediterranean coast of Spain, the Jellyfish House includes a unique swimming pool cantilevered from its roof. Capturing views to the nearby beach, the house was organized around two paths of circulation which intertwine throughout the house’s four levels of living. The project includes poured in place white-concrete and folding panels of translucent glazing.
© Cadaval & Solà-Morales
© Cadaval & Solà-Morales
X-House by Cadaval & Solà-Morales, Barcelona, Spain
The X House was designed to meet a host of challenges presented by the project’s site, including how to avoid prioritizing views to the sea or the mountains, how to work around nearby constructions, and how to create quality spaces in both the front and rear of the house. Using a simple, unique form, the design simultaneously answers all these concerns while using novel construction techniques to build high structural resistance in extremely short periods of time.
