Marià Castelló and José Antonio Molina design concrete house with glazed corridor overlooking the sea

Two concrete volumes linked by a glazed corridor form this family home that Spanish architects Marià Castelló and José Antonio Molina have embedded in a rocky site overlooking the sea in Costa Brava.

Located in the small Spanish town of Port de la Selva, the dwelling is designed to form a part of its steep, sloping site that leads down to the seafront and is characterised by outcrops of dark volcanic rock.

Marià Castelló and José Antonio Molina have embedded a house on a rocky site in Costa Brava

Looking to strike a balance between openness and privacy, Castelló and Molina combined a lower level dug into the site with projecting volumes that look out towards the sea.

This layout also helps to minimise the visual impact of the dwelling and creates a series of patios with varying light conditions.

The concrete dwelling looks out over the sea

"While on the lower level, almost at street level, more intimate relationships with the outside are established through patios, on the upper level the two volumes open frontally to the landscape and the sea horizon," explained Castelló and Molina.

"This combination of strategies – embedding in the ground and volumetric division – makes it possible to reduce the apparent volume of the intervention and improve its integration into the landscape."

It comprises two volumes linked by a glazed corridor

On the ground floor, a large main bedroom sits alongside a bathroom and living space that open onto private patios framed by steep areas of rock.

Above, the house's eastern volume contains the children's bedrooms and a small swimming pool, while the western volume has a kitchen and dining space next to an additional sleeping area.

A small swimming pool features on the upper level

Between the two volumes is a glazed corridor with views out to sea on one side and a small courtyard sheltered by the slope of the site on the other.

"The glass nexus, which connects the two bodies and contains the vertical communication, generates an exterior space sheltered from the wind but visually permeable towards the sea," said the architects.

[

Read:

Marià Castelló creates geometric three-volume home on Formentera

](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/04/30/es-pou-maria-castello-formentera/)

The concrete finish of the exterior was chosen to reflect the nature of the site, with gravel from the excavated rock used to finish the building's roof.

Internally, the white walls of the rooms are warmed by oak detailing and custom-made wooden furniture.

The interiors are lined with white walls and wooden detailing

"To compensate for the intrinsic qualities of concrete, oak wood has been chosen to materialise the exterior carpentry, some cladding and custom-made furniture, providing the whole with warmth and harmony," the architects continued.

There is an open plan kitchen and dining room

Both Castelló and Molina are directors of their own practices, named Marià Castletto Architecture and José Antonio Molina Saiz respectively.

Other projects by Marià Castelló Architecture featured on Dezeen include a geometric home on Formentera composed of three white volumes and an Ibizan retreat linked by glass corridors, open patios and a pool.

The photography is byCastelló.

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Project credits:

Construction managers: José Antonio Molina, Lorena Ruzafa, Marià Castelló **

Building engineer:** Joan Noguer **

Structure engineer:** Think Enginyeria **

Facilities engineer:** QS Enginyeria i Associats **

Design team:** Lorena Ruzafa and Marga Ferrer **

Builder:** Construccions Pòrfit

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Ten houses made from colourful concrete

Concrete is usually associated with an industrial-looking shade of grey, but it doesn't always have to be that way. Here, Dezeen rounds up 10 concrete houses that bring colour to the material.

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Top and above photos by Richard Chivers

Seabreeze, UK, by RX Architects

This holiday home on the English south coast is covered in smooth pink concrete.

Given an open brief, British studio RX Architects opted for a playful design for the project that references Mediterranean beach houses.

Find out more about Seabreeze ›

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Photo is by Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter

House in Red Concrete, Norway, by Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter

The distinctive red colour of this concrete house in the Norwegian town of Lillehammer was achieved by adding iron oxide to the mix.

To keep the project affordable, Osl0-based studio Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter chose to use prefabricated insulated concrete panels, which gave the facade its geometric pattern.

Find out more about House in Red Concrete ›

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Photo courtesy of RCR Arquitectes

Signature Villas, Portugal, by RCR Arquitectes

Built at a seaside resort in the Algarve, these luxury villas designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning Catalan studio RCR Arquitectes are formed of overlapping planes of red-pigmented concrete.

The houses have angular wall surfaces, with no clear front or back to the buildings because of the way rooms fan out from one another.

Find out more about Signature Villas ›

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Photo is by Jérôme Ricolleau

P House, France, by Tectoniques

The semi-buried P House, in Saint-Cyr-au-d'Or, was constructed from specially developed concrete dyed with ochre. The concrete was vibrated manually to release air bubbles and produce a thick, imperfect finish.

Architecture firm Tectoniques, which usually specialises in timber buildings, took on the project as an experiment. Inside, concrete is contrasted with oak woodwork and flooring and bleached spruce ceilings.

Find out more about P House ›

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Photo is by Mauricio Guerrero

Mazul Beachfront Villas, Mexico, by Revolution

Designed by Mexican architecture studio Revolution, the Mazul Beachfront Villas are located on the Oaxaca coast facing the Pacific Ocean.

Built from a combination of rough brick and smooth red concrete to complement their beachy surroundings, the villas were named rural house of the year at the 2021 Dezeen Awards.

Find out more about Mazul Beachfront Villas ›

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Photo is by Miguel Angel Vazquez Calanchini

Casa Calafia, Mexico, by RED Arquitectos

Named after a mythical warrior queen, Casa Calafia in Mexico's Baja California Sur was built from concrete that was given a reddish earthy tone using natural pigments.

It was designed by RED Arquitectos as a holiday home for an American couple.

Find out more about Casa Calafia ›

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Photo is by Paul Tierney

Rustic House, Ireland, by Urban Agency

Iron oxide powder was used to give this concrete extension to a traditional cottage in Ireland's County Kerry a rusty colour that mimics the corrugated steel barns of the surrounding countryside.

Architecture firm Urban Agency chose concrete because of the remote site's high exposure to wind and rain, but cast the material in situ using wooden boards to give it the texture of timber.

Find out more about Rustic House ›

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Photo is by Olo Studio/Juliusz Sokołowski/Jarosław Syrek

House on the Road, Poland, by KWK Promes

Robert Konieczny's studio KWK Promes designed this house to look as if it had emerged out of a winding white concrete road running through the site.

Inside the building's concrete shell is an exact replica of the client's former apartment.

Find out more about House on the Road ›

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Photo is by Ben Hosking

Federal House, Australia, by Edition Office

Architecture practice Edition Office used black-pigmented concrete and timber battens to build this imposing-looking house dug into a hillside in rural New South Wales.

"At a distance the building is recessive, a shadow within the vast landscape," said the Melbourne-based studio.

"On closer inspection, a highly textural outer skin of thick timber battens contrasts the earlier sense of a machined tectonic, allowing organic materials gestures to drive the dialogue with physical human intimacy."

Find out more about Federal House ›

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Photo is by Paco Álvarez

Casa Majalca, Mexico, by OAX Arquitectos

Local artisans were employed to manufacture irregular and natural-looking concrete formwork for this earth-coloured holiday home situated in the Cumbres de Majalca National Park in northern Mexico.

"The color blends in with the land, making reference to the cultural past of the archaeological sites of Paquimé and Casas Grandes," said OAX Arquitectos.

Find out more about Casa Majalca ›

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Fig House by Stemmer Rodrigues appears supported by a natural rock formation

Large stones conceal a single column supporting the upper level of this concrete house near Porto Alegre, Brazil, configured to protect the roots of a centennial fig tree.

Designed by local architects Stemmer Rodrigues, the Casa Figueira – or Fig House – is a modernist-style concrete house in Eldorado do Sul, a residential community that sits across the Guaiaba Lake from Porto Alegre.

Fig House looks as if it is supported by natural stones

The home's main feature is the overhanging second floor, which defines the driveway and forms a passage through to the back yard.

This windowless concrete volume is made to appear as if supported by natural stones that contrast the facade's smooth finish.

Sliding glass walls offer views towards a nearby canal

This formation conceals a single column, which was placed to avoid disrupting the roots of a nearby fig tree that lends the house its name.

"The composition of the front facade is a harmony of contrasts between the rigidity of the concrete and the large rock that simulates the support of the volume and hides the pillar, paying homage to a strong element of the regional landscape," explained Stemmer Rodrigues.

The features minimal interiors to complement its modernist form

The only other elements visible on the facade are the front door, which is marked by a curved concrete wall, and the wooden garage door.

On the ground floor, Stemmer Rodrigues laid out an open-concept kitchen, living and dining room to face views of the tranquil waterfront beyond the edge of the property.

"The facade facing the street was designed to block the south wind, and the views are therefore turned to the opposite direction, maximising the contact with the canal water, energy efficiency, and privacy," the architects said.

Two sides of this volume are enclosed with full-height sliding glass walls. Immediately outside of them, an overhanging weathered steel canopy avoids the sun directly hitting the glazed surfaces.

Landscaping leads down to a boat dock on the canal

The upper level runs parallel to the waterfront, and contains four bedrooms. The north side of the home, facing away from the street, is clad in ipe – a traditional Brazilian wood prized for its vibrant colour and durability.

A few steps away from the main building is a pavilion containing a secondary kitchen and dining area. This stone building is slightly lower than the rest of the property and is fronted by a walkway leading to a boat launch.

The property's two pavilions face each other across the garden

Porto Alegre is the capital of the Brazilian province of Rio Grande do Sul. Other projects in the area include a house for a yoga teacher also by Stemmer Rodrigues, and a house for a car collector featuring a glass-bottomed pool that offers views of the garage below.

The photography is byMarcelo Donadussi.

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Concrete home by HK Associates looks onto the Arizona desert

American practice HK Associates has completed a geometric concrete home on a desert site at the base of the Catalina Mountains in Tucson, Arizona.

Deep cuts in the cuboid form of Ventana House create a series of shaded terraces and covered balconies for the home, which the local practice has designed to be a "window onto the desert".

HK Associates designed the home with a covered entryway

"The two-storey dwelling rises from its mountainside setting like a geological outcropping, a rugged exterior form shaped from within by openings that afford panoramic views," described the practice.

A cut in the southwest corner of the home's ground floor creates a covered entryway. This leads into a double-height, skylit gallery space crossed by a small bridge above and containing a perforated steel staircase that allows light to filter through.

A large living space overlooks rocky terrain

The less-exposed ground floor contains a garage, media room and gym alongside a guest bedroom and bathroom. An external staircase along the eastern edge of the home provides direct access up to a first-floor terrace.

On this upper level, the home has been opened-up to create a large living, kitchen and dining space between two external terraces, contrasted by a more private block to the east containing two en-suite bedrooms and a study.

Minimal interiors are found in the kitchen

Throughout the home, large windows and glazed sliding doors frame views out onto the desert site, with larger openings set in deep recesses to prevent glare and overheating from the harsh sun.

"The spatial dialogue between interior volume and exterior form unfolds in a cinematic montage that complements the picture-window views," said the practice.

Referencing the silhouettes of the surrounding mountainous, the living areas sit beneath a sloped alder wood ceiling that subtly focuses the space towards the south-facing terrace. A large skylight along one edge illuminates the centre of the plan.

"The ceiling becomes an organising datum, mapping activities and interactions below: dining, cooking, conversing and relaxing," the practice continued.

The house features several glazed sliding doors

The interiors have been minimally detailed, with white wall surfaces and concealed built-in storage areas intended to create a "subtle backdrop" to the desert views.

"The interior of the home reveals itself as a series of discretely carved volumes proportioned in relationship to exterior apertures," said the practice.

A discrete fire pit cuts through the terrace

In the entrance lobby, these white surfaces are contrasted by warm wooden panelling that covers the wall and ceiling, as well as creating a small bench.

Other projects recently completed in the Arizona desert include a courtyard home with white stucco walls by architecture studio The Ranch Mine.

The photography is byEma Peter.

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