8x8 House / Marià Castelló Martínez

Architects: Marià Castelló Martínez
Area: 64 m²
Year: 2009
Photography: Lourdes Grivé + EPDSE
Client: Òscar Portas Juan
Contractor: Julián Nieto, Ferrería Ferreret CB, Carpintería de aluminio “Tití” and Carpintería Carlos
Type: Single-family residence
Archipelago: Balearic Islands
Country: Spain

8×8 House, designed by Marià Castelló Martínez extends an existing residence to serve as a refuge for a teacher. The 8×8 square meter plan is shaped by the existing structure and native vegetation. Public areas like the living room and kitchen function as distribution zones, with sliding panels connecting spaces. A large opening in the eastern facade links the living-dining area to the outdoors. The flat roof offers views of Estany des Peix and Espalmador island. Built with a simple construction system, the house uses Capri limestone, cement, white paint, Iroko wood, and aluminum. A pergola-shaded terrace marks the entrance.

The project is situated on a rustic plot in the Portossalè area of Formentera. It serves as an extension of an existing house, designed as a self-contained refuge for a teacher.

The volumetric design is heavily influenced by the existing building and the need to preserve the native vegetation. Within this context, the 8×8 square meter floor plan is developed as part of a simple program where public areas, such as the living room and kitchen, function as distribution spaces, creating larger rooms within the building’s compact scale.

The living-dining room is the largest space, extending outwards to the paving through a large opening in the eastern facade. The kitchen is connected to the dining area with large sliding panels. This layout leaves only the bedroom, study room, and bathroom as enclosed spaces. Part of the flat roof is accessible, providing sweeping views to the north, including Estany des Peix, La Savina port, Illetes beach, Espalmador island, and the rugged skyline of Ibiza and Es Vedrà in the background.

Due to the project’s modest budget, the architects chose a straightforward construction system and a limited palette of materials, ensuring both austerity and harmony. The flooring is Capri limestone in a 60×30 cm format, featuring a nearly seamless polished finish indoors, a natural finish outdoors, and a bush-hammered texture in the shower area.

The interior and exterior cladding are finished with cement and white paint. Solid Iroko wood is used for the external joinery on the eastern facade, while the rest is done in painted white aluminum. The interior partitions are made with DM panels coated in a white water-repellent finish. The entrance includes a small terrace with a pergola that offers shade and a long bench, directing focus toward the best views. The pergola is constructed from structural white lacquered tubing with webs made of anodized aluminum tubing.