From the outset, it has been suggested that the correct design of the homes is essential as a project strategy to deal with the proper environmental implementation of the entire development, taking into account an adjusted construction cost so that the final sale price is affordable. , without compromising on the design or the thermal characteristics. It is not a unique home; They are serial homes, which try to demonstrate that a commercial development is not at odds with a sustainable design.
Studio Name: BUHO ARQUITECTOS SL
Design Team: JAVIER SANCHEZ LOPEZ, PEDRO SANCHEZ LOPEZ, BUENAVENTURA CONDE SALAZAR
Area: 1680 M2
Year: 2019
Location: ARROYO DE LA ENCOMIENDA. VALLADOLID. SPAIN
Consultants: BURPAL INVS. SL
Photography Credits: BUHO ARQUITECTOS SLP
Determinants of the plot and the environment.
The plot on which this promotion is located is an elongated strip of 25 m wide by 75 m long. It has a north-south orientation, and an appreciable drop of almost three meters in height in said orientation. On the other hand, it is adjacent to two busy roads in the Valladolid town of Arroyo de la Encomienda: Avenida Aranzana, which crosses the entire municipality, and Avenida de Suecia, one of the main access roads to the largest shopping center. of Castile and Leon. Both have a bulky flow of vehicles.
The area is occupied by single-family semi-detached houses, in which maximum urban use has prevailed, without taking into account location and orientation factors: the rows of houses are developed following the shape of the plots, so that the orientation of the houses It depends on how the layout of the blocks in which they are inserted is, generally poorly oriented. In addition, the houses tend to be large, with four floors per townhouse, so that the stairs weigh down the way of life inside them. Likewise, the classic front and rear patios are submerged with respect to the ground floor, and their use is very limited, leaving even the front patio without real use, only as a separating element from the access street.
Proposed solution.
Faced with this “traditional” way of promoting single-family homes (the row of semi-detached houses) there is another, even more traditional way, the CASA PATIO. In an environment that is not very pleasant, it seems convenient to close it off and open up inwards, towards its own patio that is the true center of the house. There are many examples of this typology, from Roman times until now. And this patio must be at the same level as the entrance and the interior of the house to promote continuous use of the space: the living room is a patio and the patio is a living room.
The projected houses are turned 90 degrees to face south, exclusively to the south, where the patio is located. This breaks the traditional scheme of row houses, becoming independent houses, slightly semi-detached only on one side. The north side is completely opaque, it is the back of the house, which becomes the front enclosure of the patio, guaranteeing the absolute privacy of the patio. And the house opens only to the south, to the orientation that guarantees sun and natural light throughout the day.
study of shadows
The shadows cast by the front house on the patio have been studied, the width of which is marked by the shadow line on the day of the year with the least sun. On December 21, for at least one hour (at noon), the sun is projected just over the lower edge of the house’s façade.
The patio has been dimensioned to guarantee maximum sunlight and minimize the shadow cast by the houses located in front. For this, several maneuvers have been carried out:
– The slope of the land has been taken advantage of, which descends notably towards the south, staggering the houses by 75 cm with respect to the front.
– The edge of the neighboring roof in contact with the patio has been lowered. The roof slopes, so that inside the house a free height of 2 meters is reached at the lowest point, and rises to 3.5 m at the highest point. The average height is greater than the 2.50 m required by regulations.
– The continuity of the roof is broken, eliminating a floor at the point of contact with the adjoining lateral dwelling. With this, the possible tunnel effect of the patio is broken and it is sponged. The houses acquire individuality.
– The access to the house is located on the ground floor, so that the route from the street to the interior entrance door is protected from the sun and rain.
– The patio is partially covered in the area in contact with the street, with a metal pergola and a sheet metal sandwich panel covering, but in continuity with the uncovered area. This part serves both as a garage and as a shaded area for the summer months, and also serves to provide a filter to the patio from the street.
Study of the windows
All the enclosures have open holes to the south, and none to the north. On the ground floor, all the openings are French doors that open onto the patio, so that it can be accessed from several rooms and enable that interior-exterior spatial continuity. On the upper floor, the bedrooms have two openings, providing a double orientation, one always to the south and the other to the east or west. With this, cross ventilation of the upper floor is possible, essential to dissipate the possible heat accumulated in summer in the upper strata.
The ground floor and the upper floor are connected by a light staircase and by a double height, located in the center of the house, which allow air to circulate continuously. A large window opens at this double height and allows the sun in winter to fully penetrate the interior of the house. The greenhouse effect guarantees the natural heating of the house. The carpentry is made of PVC with six chambers, with triple low emission glazing. Conventional roller blinds shade the openings when necessary, supplemented by sliding panels with adjustable slats.
