Los Nagueles, Marbella, Spain - Multi-million Euro Country Estate.
With a largely unlimited budget, a rare carte blanche opportunity to design without constraint represented every designers dream. The project presented huge challenges, not least because it was a six acre plot of scrub land with a rugged terrain and not even so much as a house on it.
The design aimed to accommodate the lavish demands of a wealthy client, while absolutely adhering to the local ecology and surrounding environment. The house draws strong references to celebrated Mexican Architect Louis Barragan and the Moorish Architecture of Andalucia. A personal aim was set, not to transform the plot into another ostentatious estate devoid of character and soul, like many of its neighbouring estates, but work to ensure the end result would work in unison with the surrounding indigenous landscape.
Huge efforts were made to ensure all dry stone walls would be built using existing site stone and only indigenous plants, or those suited to the Mediterranean climate. Where possible, existing trees were also retained and incorporated as part of the design. The primary onus was on sustainability rather than introducing elements, which although affordable to the client, were not viable long term solutions, both from a maintenance and ecological viewpoint. Irrigation for example, is limited to one terrace, while the rest of the site is designed to be self-sufficient and is planted with citrus, cork and pine trees, which are able to be harvested by locals once a year, while the accrued revenue can be reinvested towards the general upkeep of the estate.
With a largely unlimited budget, a rare carte blanche opportunity to design without constraint represented every designers dream. The project presented huge challenges, not least because it was a six acre plot of scrub land with a rugged terrain and not even so much as a house on it.
The design aimed to accommodate the lavish demands of a wealthy client, while absolutely adhering to the local ecology and surrounding environment. The house draws strong references to celebrated Mexican Architect Louis Barragan and the Moorish Architecture of Andalucia. A personal aim was set, not to transform the plot into another ostentatious estate devoid of character and soul, like many of its neighbouring estates, but work to ensure the end result would work in unison with the surrounding indigenous landscape.
Huge efforts were made to ensure all dry stone walls would be built using existing site stone and only indigenous plants, or those suited to the Mediterranean climate. Where possible, existing trees were also retained and incorporated as part of the design. The primary onus was on sustainability rather than introducing elements, which although affordable to the client, were not viable long term solutions, both from a maintenance and ecological viewpoint. Irrigation for example, is limited to one terrace, while the rest of the site is designed to be self-sufficient and is planted with citrus, cork and pine trees, which are able to be harvested by locals once a year, while the accrued revenue can be reinvested towards the general upkeep of the estate.
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