Architects: José Antonio Molina, Marià Castelló Martínez
Area: 3337 ft²
Year: 2021
Photographs: Marià Castelló
Manufacturers: Rothoblaas, ELEVATE, Bulthaup, Diabla Outdoor, Fragments d’Arquitectura, Geopannel, ICONICO, LEMA, Tres
Construction Management: José Antonio Molina, Lorena Ruzafa, Marià Castelló
Technical Architect: Joan Noguer
Structure: Think Enginyeria SLP
Facilities: QS Enginyeria i Associats SLP
Design Team: Lorena Ruzafa, Marga Ferrer
Builder: Construccions Pòrfit
City: El Port de la Selva
Country: Spain
House in Port de la Selva, designed by Marià Castelló Martínez and José Antonio Molina, is situated on the steep north slope of Puig Gros in the coastal settlement of Port de la Selva on the Costa Brava. The project skillfully balances optimal solar orientation and panoramic views, embedding the lower level in bedrock and fragmenting the upper level into two volumes to integrate with the landscape. The design features concrete as the primary material, complemented by oak wood to add warmth, and utilizes “pòrfit” gravel from the site for finishing touches, creating a harmonious blend with the natural surroundings.
Port de la Selva is a small coastal settlement in the northernmost part of the Costa Brava. This project is situated on a plot in the “La Tamariua” urbanization, on the north slope of Puig Gros, a small promontory that shelters the town’s port.
The topography features a steep slope toward the sea with abundant outcrops of “pòrfit,” a dark, hard volcanic rock characteristic of the area’s geology. The climate is typically Mediterranean but can be extreme, with strong northerly Tramuntana winds frequently hitting the coast.
Balancing optimal solar orientation with expansive panoramic views, the house for a family with four children is organized on two levels: a lower level embedded in the bedrock and an upper level fragmented into two volumes. This strategy (embedding and volumetric division) minimizes the house’s apparent volume, enhances its integration into the landscape, and creates various patios that provide warmth, light, and ventilation at strategic points. The interplay between the rocky “pòrfit” substrate and the architecture creates the most poetic moments of the design, making these spaces especially inviting.
The lower level, near street level, features intimate outdoor relationships through patios, while the upper level’s two volumes open to the landscape and sea horizon. The upper level also fosters more introverted relationships between the volumes and the surrounding rocky substrate. The glass connector between the two volumes, housing vertical circulation, acts as a windscreen and creates a sheltered outdoor space that remains visually open to the sea and receives adequate winter sunlight due to its southern orientation.
From a tectonic perspective, concrete is the predominant material both outside and inside. Its stony nature complements the rocky substratum, and its durability against harsh weather conditions (strong winds and the marine environment) makes it a sustainable, low-maintenance choice.
Externally, “pòrfit” gravel from the excavation is used to finish the roofs and the interstitial patios between the house and the bedrock. To counterbalance the concrete’s inherent qualities, oak wood is used for exterior carpentry, cladding, and custom-made furniture, adding warmth and harmony to the overall design.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: El Port de la Selva, Girona, Spain
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
