HOUSE IN SA FAROLA. CIUTADELLA, MINORCA

The house is located on the seafront by the coastal road that leads to the lighthouse of the port of Ciutadella, Minorca. The views are completely open to the old city and to the horizon, and on clear days the outline of the island of Majorca can be seen.

It has been designed over 2 floors and is arranged in a U-shape facing east. The central courtyard facilitates cross-ventilation and the formation of convection currents in the main spaces, ensuring adequate natural ventilation in the summer and winter.  The pool in the courtyard also helps with the climate control of the house as the evaporative process of the water cools the incoming air while simultaneously increasing the relative humidity.

All the main rooms in the house have a sea view and the daylight levels in each room are adjustable with passive controls. The south facing front porch and the blinds on the balcony doors ensure proper daylight control in summer and winter.

The layout of the ground floor is completely open plan with grand views across the central courtyard and towards the sea. Only the three bedrooms and bathrooms are completely private. On the first floor there is a master bedroom suite which can be treated as an independent apartment for short stays. The garage and plant room are located in the basement.

The house has been designed from simple volumes with flat roofs that can be used as additional space or made into a garden. The façades are ventilated with an outer sheet of white sandstone, made from local limestone. The doors, windows and external blinds are dark bronze anodised aluminium.

The area of the site that has not been built on is landscaped with local plants and vegetation, and the whole site is enclosed by a traditional dry-stone wall.  The pedestrian and vehicle access doors are built with pre-oxidised steel plates.