Johnston Marklee Architects

Round House . Cretas

Johnston Marklee Architects . + solo houses

Situated on the outskirts of Cretas, Spain the Round House follows the grand tradition of country villas sited within an idyllic landscape. Approached along the edge of a dense forest and the Parc Natural dels Ports beyond, the Round House emerges as a singular object amongst a grove of almond trees.

The house consists of a single floor elevated above the almond grove to capture a panoramic view of the surroundings. The circular floor plan is supposed by a smaller base with a square plan, creating a sense of detachment from the landscape whilst remaining grounded by its inherent weight and mass. Protruding from the base is the main entrance. Upon entry the visitor ascends a flight of stairs and arrives within the center of the house.
The primary axis of the bilaterally symmetrical plan runs along the length of the entry stairway, and is shaped by two curving walls that connect the living and dining areas of the open plan. These walls create a compressed spatial sensation while directing the visitor outward towards the panoramic view at the perimeter. Hovering above the almond trees, the space of the open plan extends into the landscape.

Behind the curving walls are four bedrooms with bathrooms and storage. The sliding doors of the bedrooms can open to connect to the living space and form a complete open plan when desired. A spiral staircase allows visitors to access the roof deck which has a square plan identical to the base of the house. Centered with a pool, the roof deck obtains an unbroken 360 degree view of the Aragonais backcountry.
Following the lineage of Andrea Palladio's Villa Rotunda, Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion House, and John Lautner’s Chemosphere House; Johnston Marklee's Round House captures the continuous horizon line of the surrounding landscape while accentuating the different spatial characteristics of the site's orientations.

Location
Poligono 13, parcelle N°XX, Cretas, Matarraña, Espagne
Land
3,51 Hectares

Architect
Johnston Marklee Architects
Associated Architect
Diogo Porto
Collaborators
Lindsay Erickson

Total Area: 442 m2
First Floor: 52 m2 (Mechanical: 22 m2 & Storage: 22 m2)
Second Floor: 254 m2 (Foyer: 23 m2, 4 Bedrooms: 19 m2, 4 Bathrooms: 3.2 m2, Living: 50 m2, Kitchen: 20 m2, Dining: 20 m2)
Roof Deck: 52 m2, Pool: 6.3 m2
Total Height:9 m, 1st Floor Height: 2.8 m