Architects: Raúl Sanchez Architects
Area: 175 m²
Year: 2024
Photographs: José Hevia
Manufacturers: BD Barcelona Design, Cassina, Santa and Cole, Screenprint, Tecno, VitrA
Lead Architect: Raúl Sánchez
Engineering Consultants: Marés ingenieros
Quantity Surveyors: GruArt Arquitectura tècnica
Structural Consultants: Diagonal Estructuras
Architecture Team: Paolo Burattini, Flavia Thalisa Gütermann, Dimitris Louizos, Carlos Montes
City: Sant Cugat del Vallès
Country: Spain
Magarola House by Raúl Sánchez Architects occupies a steep site on the outskirts of Sant Cugat del Vallès, where the terrain descends sharply toward a wooded valley. The 175-square-meter home was conceived to minimize impact on the land, preserving the existing slate rock slope and removing only two trees from the densely vegetated plot. Resting on slender concrete screens, the structure lightly touches the ground while maintaining panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. The residence is accessed from above, revealing its full extent as the slope falls away below. Spaces are organized around a central core, with circulation, kitchen, and living areas unfolding toward the valley. The project follows proportional logic based on the golden ratio and integrates advanced sustainability systems, including aerothermal heating, cross ventilation, and rooftop photovoltaic panels. Through restraint in form and material, Magarola House achieves a balance between environmental sensitivity, structural clarity, and visual continuity with its site.
Magarola House in Sant Cugat del Vallès reinterprets the relationship between architecture and steep terrain through structural precision and measured land intervention. Built on a fully inclined slate rock slope, the residence preserves the natural topography by resting on a series of slender concrete screens that elevate the structure without extensive excavation. This strategy maintains the existing ground profile while allowing the building to project lightly into the landscape.
Access is from the upper level, where the house first appears as a compact, closed volume. As the slope descends, its composition unfolds to reveal an open façade facing the valley. The structure extends on concrete supports that act as both foundation and façade walls, giving the building a poised balance between suspension and solidity. A cantilevered staircase links the parking area with the main level, leading to a terrace that extends directly from the kitchen and dining area. Large sliding windows create uninterrupted transitions between interior and exterior spaces, while surrounding trees frame distant views of the valley and mountains.
The lower floor is organized around a central block containing the staircase, bathroom, and pantry, which allows the surrounding perimeter to remain open and fluid. This layout connects the kitchen, living room, and viewing area as a continuous space oriented toward the landscape. Along the glazed façade, a built-in bench provides a fixed vantage point for observing the valley, underscoring the house’s contemplative atmosphere. The entry sequence culminates in a cantilevered slab extending from the kitchen, which features a fixed dining table in concrete and ceppo di gré stone. A double-height void links the levels internally, with the staircase ascending through a circular opening and continuing to a rooftop turret rotated 45 degrees to maintain spatial continuity and panoramic views.
On the upper level, circulation occurs along a central corridor flanked by two small balconies that frame specific landscape scenes. This floor contains three bedrooms and a shared bathroom, with the master suite including a walk-in closet and an ensuite. Sliding doors enable reconfiguration of spaces, while discreet window openings allow natural light and outward views even within the most private areas.
The project’s geometric logic is governed by the golden ratio, applied both in plan and elevation to establish proportional coherence. The façades facing neighboring plots are intentionally restrained, defined by limited openings and subtle lattice screens. In contrast, the valley-facing façade is almost entirely glazed, its light yellowish tone differentiating it from the earth-colored exterior while harmonizing with the surrounding soil.
Structurally, the house relies on reinforced concrete screens that form both its façade and central core, connected by 20-centimeter-thick slabs. The internal spaces remain free of visible structural elements, allowing uninterrupted openness across rooms. Externally, only the slender supports are visible, reinforcing the sense of minimal contact with the terrain.
Sustainability strategies are integral to the project’s design. Radiant floor heating powered by an aerothermal system ensures thermal comfort, complemented by rooftop photovoltaic panels and cross-ventilation. The envelope incorporates continuous external insulation with no thermal bridges, including the underside of the slab. Rainwater harvesting and the use of locally sourced materials further reduce environmental impact. Of the forty trees originally on site, only two were removed, maintaining the dense forest canopy around the house.
The entrance is defined by a large stone block, referencing Carlo Scarpa’s sculptural approach to stairs. This gesture encapsulates the project’s essence: a synthesis of environmental awareness, structural clarity, and a precise architectural language that allows the house to exist in quiet dialogue with its landscape.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain
The location specified is intended for general reference and may denote a city or country, but it does not identify a precise address.
