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On the border with the Spanish village of Quesa, an hour and a half from Valencia , there is nothing more intense than the scent of wild and aromatic plants, the chirping of cicadas in the sun and the rustle of olive leaves dancing in the wind. It is in this idyllic setting that Casa de los Olivos, an earthy and minimal home – spanning only the ground floor – has taken root. Blending into its surroundings, it offers open views of the naturally protected olive groves, the surrounding lakes and the mountains of La Punta Arnes, where can even find cave paintings. With this once-in-a-lifetime setting, the owners decided that only nature should rule. The result is a contemporary country house that's inspired by the colours and materials of its scenic site.
The owners, Emilio Rabal Artiaga and his wife Marta Llobet Balcells lived in Catalonia, not far from bustling Barcelona , before completing their terracotta-coloured house. The idea was this: the couple would spend the summer months at Casa de los Olivos, escaping to its large terrace and swimming pool to beat the heat. But for some time now, they have been spending longer and longer periods near the village of Quesa. Artiaga, who loves plants, landscapes and mountains, spent his summer holidays here as a child. For this reason, both the home owners and Balzar Arquitectos, the studio in charge of the construction and interior design, have taken great care to preserve the flora and fauna.
“We wanted to respect this location, so we tried to preserve as many olive trees as possible by working around the grove. We also wanted the interiors to be directly connected to the landscape. We wanted to create a dialogue between nature and the new construction,” explains co-founder of Balzar Arquitectos , Laura Moreno Albuixech.
The house was built on the basis of a steel structure in line with the "balloon frame" construction method popular in the United States. A galvanized steel profile forms the load-bearing structure of the terracotta house and supports both the facades and the room dividers. For the floor (exterior and interior), the Valencian architects chose Iranian travertine , which combines the most beautiful red with brown. The travertine tiles blend naturally with the swimming pool , which is covered at the end. And now, look up! Here Balzar Arquitectos has integrated a theatrical vault with round arches to let in the light which is reflected shimmering in the water.
From the semi-circular end of the pool, flanked by green olive trees in a perfect eight by eight meter lattice, the glass facade leads into the minimalist living room, which allows for shadow-free views into the distance. Here, the Iranian travertine floor continues the deep bond with the surrounding environment. Mid-century furniture a la Charles and Ray Eames or Le Corbusier elevates the modern and tranquil atmosphere with its refined design. After all, the interior designers and architects of Balzar Arquitectos reference the style of the 40s-60s literally. “It is wonderful that the furniture and architects of that period are more current today than ever,” says says Albuixech. "The Valencian company Valoffice helped us get hold of magnificent design classics to furnish this geometric building,” Usually, the interdisciplinary studio custom designs much of the furniture on all their projects. Here, as an example of their prowess: the gleaming brass kitchen in the open floor plan that fluidly connects the living, dining and kitchen areas.
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Terracotta, brass and olive green: A colour scheme inspired by the Spanish countryside.
The terracotta colour of the earth inspired the use of lime mortar and red Iranian travertine. The gold of the sun, reflected in the pool's water at sunset, appears as a second colour component in the brass kitchen. Both the kitchen island and some of the custom cabinets were originally intended to be yellow, but the decision was made during the design process to go with its grander, more elegant sister, which required few other accessories.
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The last chromatic component that characterises the interior design is soft olive green . The designers took cues from the leaves of the ancient olive trees and used it for the built-in wardrobes in the kitchen and bedroom. In this way, landscape and nature deeply inspire the Casa de los Olivos. The sleeping area is located in the bright room next to the living room and kitchen, offering open view towards the trees, the water and the mountains.
The original design of the geometric building actually envisaged two bedrooms arranged symmetrically, with dressing room, bathroom and private patio. But without further ado, the entrepreneurial couple decided to do away with the second bedroom, which would mostly be used by guests. On the contrary, the couple enjoy their small private spa and prefer to invite friends and acquaintances to the nearby hotel.
For the couple, it feels like second nature to live here long-term and be seasonally independent. Especially since the ground level was chosen wisely, even forebodingly. As a child, Artiaga spent the summer months here, getting to know the people and their customs and appreciating the surrounding nature. With Casa de los Olivos, he and his wife fulfilled their dream of returning to their adopted home after some 50 years spent away from it.
