L House is a single-family house located in an area of low population density at the foot of a hill of oak trees. It stands on a plot with road boundaries to the north and west and with a steep slope of more than 5 meters in two directions.
It was decided to locate the building in the northwest corner of the plot and develop it in an L-shaped plan geometry to maximize sunlight and frame the views over the oak grove. Thus, the exterior facades of the L are closed to traffic and nearby houses, while the interior facades are turned towards the inside of the plot, where the swimming pool and abundant vegetation are located, and the views of the oak grove.
The first floor, which houses the day area, opens to the south and east, while the second floor, with the night program, is oriented entirely to the east, where the hill through which dawn breaks is located.
In an L-shaped floor plan, the joint between the two arms is a singular point of the project and it is there where the entrance and the double-height living room are located. Attached to it are the dining room and the kitchen, visually linked to the pool. On the other arm of the L on the first floor is located the play area, the toilet, the gym and the office, the only space that turns to the outside of the L to capture the homogeneous light from the north and to be located next to the entrance, allowing work visits do not interfere in the domestic routine.
On the second floor is the Master Bedroom, with a large dressing room and bathroom and with privileged views of the oak forest that extend onto a private terrace.
Three other bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms and east-facing views of the hill, complete the upper floor.
In the basement, in addition to storage and facilities, is located the cinema, which has a bar and an attached toilet.
The division between all these spaces is made by means of ribs perpendicular to the L that house the structure and free the facade to create an interior glass skin with uninterrupted views.
On the exterior, we play with the reliefs of the terrain to zone the uses and create an upward sloping pedestrian entrance, clearly inspired by Greco-Roman temples.
Architecture and design: Destudio
Photos: Rafa Dieguez
Vídeo: José Ignacio del Barrio