Social Housing In Ibiza / RipollTizón Estudio De Arquitectura

Architects: RipollTizon Estudio de Arquitectura
Area: 2,274 m²
Year: 2022
Photography: José Hevia
Lead Architects: Pep Ripoll, Juan Miguel Tizón
Client: IBAVI (Institut Municipal de l’Habitatge)
Collaborators: Cristina Oliver, Erik Herrera, Pablo García, Luis Sánchez, Manuel Arguijo, Javier Colomar, Antonio Prats
Constructor: José Luis Velilla
Builder: Contratas Vilor S.L.
Promoter: IBAVI (Institut Balear de l’Habitatge)
City: Eivissa
Country: Spain

Social Housing in Ibiza, designed by RipollTizon Estudio de Arquitectura, integrates community-oriented design principles with traditional Ibizan architectural forms. Completed in 2022, the building is located in Eivissa, Spain, between the marina and farmland. It features a modular, stacked layout that accommodates a central void, maximizing light, ventilation, and energy efficiency. The building’s ceramic finishes, inspired by local materials, enrich the communal and interior spaces, bringing a unique blend of color and texture that reflects the island’s character and climate.

Social Housing in Ibiza / RipollTizón Estudio de Arquitectura

Located at the edge of Eivissa’s marina district and agricultural land, Social Housing in Ibiza by RipollTizon Estudio de Arquitectura introduces a design that connects with the island’s vernacular forms while addressing contemporary housing needs. The project seeks to stand apart from the eclectic architectural mix of the area, which features leisure and residential buildings alongside tourist accommodations, by creating a structure deeply rooted in local climate and lifestyle.

Inspired by traditional Ibizan farmhouses, the architects crafted a design that reinterprets the island’s historical whitewashed structures with controlled sunlight exposure, shaded porches, and interconnected pavilions. These traditional farmhouses developed organically over time, adapting to the inhabitants’ spatial needs. RipollTizon’s project applies this incremental approach to create a modular housing design that facilitates adaptability and community-focused living.

Complying with zoning requirements, the building takes on a pyramidal form, defined by height limits and setbacks from adjacent structures. This volumetric shape allows for a central void that channels light and air, creating shared open spaces within the building. This internal void also enhances community interactions, linking circulation areas and access points for residents, and enriching the balance between private residences and communal spaces.

Due to a high water table, the design places parking at ground level, with the five upper floors reserved for residential units. Each unit enjoys dual orientations for optimal natural light, cross ventilation, and sunlight exposure, supporting the building’s energy rating of “A.”

Reflecting traditional Ibizan construction, the building’s modular composition layers individual housing units to allow air and light permeability throughout. The layout avoids repetitive patterns, enabling diverse unit configurations that meet various household sizes while fulfilling VPO (officially protected housing) standards. Designed from a square base module, each residence is adaptable, allowing additional modules for bedrooms and utility areas as needed. This flexibility supports a diverse mix of layouts that cater to residents’ varying requirements.

The use of ceramic materials is notable, chosen for their resilience and aesthetic harmony with the design. Glazed ceramic tiles in a variety of colors and textures cover common areas, contributing to a warm, vibrant environment. In hues of yellow, blue, and straw, the square and rectangular tiles add both texture and light, creating visually rich, inviting communal spaces.

These ceramic pieces, produced from local clay blends, offer unique durability, making them ideal for extrusion and single firing. Fired at temperatures over 1000°C, the tiles achieve a glass-like, transparent finish that enhances color depth. This effect, combined with color stability and a fluid glaze, allows for creative combinations that produce harmonious results in diverse applications throughout the building.

RipollTizon’s Social Housing in Ibiza project successfully bridges traditional Ibizan architectural aesthetics with modern housing needs. By respecting the island’s heritage and optimizing design for contemporary functionality, this building offers an innovative, community-oriented residential space that adds value to the urban landscape of Ibiza.