Upon the hallowed ground of Mas Geli, where the whispers of history linger among the remnants of a traditional rural dwelling, a new home rises, a harmonious symphony of past and present. This architectural marvel, conceived by HARQUITECTES, deftly intertwines the venerable values of vernacular architecture with the refreshing allure of contemporary design.
In a region defined by its agricultural tableau, punctuated by ancestral homes seamlessly woven into the landscape, this new edifice seeks a dialogue with its surroundings. The essence of the original rural structure is not merely echoed but celebrated, with its massiveness and spatial choreography dictating the rhythm of the new residence. An orthogonal grid unfolds, a procession of spaces delineated by formidable cyclopean concrete walls and vaults that pay homage to the stone arches of yore.
The roof, a revival of its original stature and simplicity, rests upon a wooden structure that whispers tales of craftsmanship. Its tiles, a continuous sweep from north to south, crown the dwelling with a timeless silhouette. The exterior, where time’s embrace is most evident, sees the careful restoration of two stone facades, while new apertures frame vistas of the Medas Islands, inviting the ever-changing light to dance within.
To the south and west, where the echoes of the past are fainter, new cyclopean concrete walls rise, their surfaces imbued with the stones of the ancient ruin, a tactile memory of what once was. Within, the heart of the home beats in the expansive kitchen, a 100-square-meter ode to conviviality. Here, beneath a soaring ceiling, the westward gaze extends to the vineyard, and the southern aspect unfurls towards a sunlit garden and serene pool. This versatile space, a canvas for culinary gatherings and familial rituals, embodies the spirit of the home.
Adjacent, an L-shaped eave extends an embrace, grounding the home in its immediate terrain while opening vistas to the broader tapestry of the landscape. This architectural gesture, poised towards the west, bridges the dwelling and the vineyards, with the picturesque village of Pals as a distant backdrop. To the south, it deftly modulates the sun’s embrace, inviting the kitchen’s vibrancy to spill into the garden.
The home’s spatial sequences, converging in the kitchen, reflect the project’s core values. The south-to-north trajectory traverses the pool, garden, eave, kitchen, and two rooms, culminating in a view of Montgrí, framed by trees, vineyards, and wetlands. The east-to-west journey begins with the Medas Islands and the Mediterranean, progressing through the original house’s facade, the ancient entrance, hall, kitchen, and eave, all culminating in the grace of a sunset.
The walls, crafted from layers of 25 cm concrete with lightweight expanded clay aggregate, offer more than structural elegance. Their thermal inertia, a nod to ancestral wisdom, is complemented by a geothermal underfloor heating system and, in summer, by air cooled via a ventilated chamber beneath the raised floor. This near self-sufficient climatic strategy echoes the passive efficiencies of rural homes past, offering comfort and sustainability intertwined.
In this dwelling, the symphony of old and new plays on, a testament to the enduring beauty of architecture that respects its roots while embracing the future. It stands as a serene sentinel, a keeper of stories, and a beacon of modern grace, nestled within the timeless embrace of Ampurdán’s landscape.
