House Molló / LABANC.STUDIO

Architects: LABANC.STUDIO
Area: Footprint: 107 m², Usable: 156 m²
Year: 2020
Photography: Pol Viladoms
Lead Architects: Tomáš Labanc, Ramon Bernabe
Location: Molló, Girona, Catalonia
Country: Spain

House MOLLÓ, a residential building by LABANC.STUDIO in Molló, Spain, adapts to a mountainous site through a compact gabled volume that meets Catalonian building codes. Designed between 2018 and 2020, the project uses stone and wood to connect the interior and exterior while framing views of the Mediterranean and Pyrenees. A southern veranda anchors the living area, reinforcing visual openness. The design separates private and communal zones across two levels and blends regional tradition with material continuity and landscape orientation.

House MOLLÓ is located in the village of Molló in northeastern Spain, nestled at the base of the Pyrenees. Designed by Tomáš Labanc in collaboration with M Arch Ramon Bernabe, the project was developed between 2018 and 2020, progressing through all architectural phases, including Štúdia, PSP, and RP. The residence occupies a compact footprint of 107 square meters with a total usable area of 156 square meters. Though limited in size, the site offers broad views of the surrounding landscape, extending toward the Mediterranean Sea.

The design responds directly to the constraints and opportunities of its context. Local regulations in this Catalonian mountain setting establish parameters for roof pitch, facade transparency, and material use. The architects worked within these conditions to develop a compact gabled structure clad in stone, with a composition of openings distributed on all sides. The form integrates into the village fabric while addressing the landscape through strategic orientation and framing.

The southern facade features a panoramic glass wall that opens to a veranda, creating a transitional space between the living room and the garden. This threshold allows the surrounding terrain to enter visually into the interior and expands the perceptual boundary of the house. Additional openings connect to cultivated fields, mountain ridgelines, and nearby vernacular structures, reinforcing the building’s relationship to its broader environment.

The interior is organized along a clear typological divide. The upper floor houses private bedrooms arranged around a central, flexible space intended for rest, play, or work. On the ground level, communal functions are consolidated around the southern glazing and veranda, where the visual connection to the landscape becomes a focal element of daily life.

Material continuity plays a key role in the design. Stone cladding and wooden flooring extend from exterior surfaces into the interior, softening the visual threshold between inside and outside. These materials reinforce the architectural intention to merge the house with its natural and cultural setting, without sacrificing spatial clarity.

House MOLLÓ demonstrates a precise response to its site, combining regulatory compliance with sensitive spatial planning and material consistency. The project maintains a balance between contextual respect and architectural identity through its compact form, framed views, and seamless transitions across boundaries.