For La Caseta, Alberto Facundo Arquitectura renovated a rural house outside Valencia with an unusual approach
Alberto Facundo Arquitectura has taken a simple house in an orchard in Ribarroja de Turia, a municipality outside Valencia, and turned it into a striking and unusual home that blends traditional rural and agricultural references with contemporary design.
Interventions and extensions to the existing house were covered by the locally based architect in corrugated, galvanised metal sheeting. The austere nature of the material is intended to complement that of the original cement and brick of the house.
Although standing out in its landscape, the 102 sq m project – named La Caseta – aims to respond to its surrounding area, celebrating Mediterranean lifestyle and a sense of community, explains Facundo. It is intended as ‘a meeting place, a space for disconnection and relaxation, intimately linked to its natural environment, the Valencian garden.’
The house was stripped back to its essentials, with unnecessary elements added over time removed. It was then reorganised and expanded, with a new metal and wooden staircase becoming a centrepiece feature. ‘Its materiality is reminiscent of fruit boxes piled up in an agricultural warehouse, as a wink to its surroundings,’ says Facundo. New windows and glazed doors were created giving views on to the orchard, strengthening the house’s connection to nature.
Both an architect and industrial designer, Facundo established his own practice in 2016. His work, mostly residential projects in the wider Valencia area, focuses on simple, honest materiality as well as restoring and rethinking heritage structures.
All photographs by German Cabo
