Bioclimatic strategies with breathtaking views for Casa en Monte el Pardo

At 30 kilometers from Madrid, a couple commissions the construction of a passive house in Monte el Pardo, on a steep terrain with fantastic orientation and views, designed to be rentable for most of the year when the owners are not at home.

Flexible Design and Space Independence

Slow Studio develops architecture projects characterized by innovative solutions, such as Casa en Monte el Pardo with two independent areas that can potentially be converted into a single housing unit in the future. The significant slope of the lot helps the architects create two levels, each with independent external access. The first floor, accessed by a suspended walkway, can function completely autonomously. The ground floor includes the living-dining room, kitchen, and a small studio that can be used as a bedroom if needed, providing a seamless connection to the outdoors.

Bioclimatic strategies and functional courtyards

The bioclimatic strategy designed for this passive house is based on ensuring good sunlight and natural ventilation to all rooms through two courtyards that break up and open the compact volume of the residence. The south courtyard, with double height and a glass roof that can be opened depending on the season, is the key to ensuring good natural ventilation without incurring energy losses.

Thermal comfort through innovative solutions

In winter, the glass roof of the south courtyard remains closed, creating a greenhouse effect that warms the air. In summer, the glass is opened and ventilation is carried out through a Canadian well, a 30-meter long tube that runs under the house and introduces air at a temperature of 20 ºC. The elongated shape of the house also allows for utilizing the north facade to generate cross ventilation in all the rooms on the upper floor.

Sustainable materials and indoor air quality

The project also considers the indoor air quality, avoiding finishing products such as paints, adhesives, and varnishes containing toxic substances. Two construction systems are combined to save costs and ensure comfort: the semi-basement ground floor is built with a system of cement block walls that serve as both foundations and enclosure. The first floor is elevated with a semi-prefabricated structure in lightweight pine wood certified by PEFC. The facade is made of laminated pine slats, and the internal partitions are made of clay-coated cellulose panels, while the floors are artisanal terracotta.

Gallery

Photo Credits
Cover image, article images, and gallery: Salva López
Video: Matter Group

Drawings: Slow Studio

Company Credits
Prefabricated wood structure: Arquima
Structural Engineer: Campanyà Vinyeta
Civil Engineer: Ecopenta / Maria Peralta
Contractor: Serman Construcciones y Decoración
Environmental & sustainability Consultants: Societat Orgànica / Paula Serra
Building Engineer: Equipo Aparejador / Andrés Martín Ramos
Installations: Cointec Instalaciones
Pavement: Matter Barcelona

PEOPLE

Slow Studio

Carrer de Sant Joan de la Salle, 4208022 Barcelona, Spagna C. Ciudadela, 9128290 Las Rozas de Madrid, Madrid, Spagna Golf Son QuintCamí de Son Vida, 38, 07013 Palma, Islas Baleares, Spagna