Over ten years of steady construction culminated in the recent opening of 'casa bitxo' located in the rural area of bergueda on the cusp of the pyrenees mountains of northern spain. designed by barcelona-based practice lagula arquitectes, the home exhibits a very honest use of local material stretched out across the landscape of gentle hills. exposed concrete slabs frame an offset orange brick lattice that meets the street side and main entrance, visually filtering public views while allowing the diffused passage of light to the interior spaces. the linear angled plan translates the subtle grade change to the section with stairs that lead to a double-height living room area under a cantilevered roof plane extending out towards the mountains. large openings with characteristic red shutters open to the outdoors on the private half of the property. the earthen color palette is enlivened with various sections of vibrantly glazed tiles that reflect a functional changes in program-- a contemporary approach to a vernacular construction.
