Narrow family home in Barcelona by Ferrolan LAB

The site and the landscape are very important when building a house. When the site is very narrow this usually represents a big problem. It’s almost impossible to build a house on such a site. However, with ingenuity and creativity it can be done. We have here the perfect example for that. This family home is located in Barcelona, Spain. It was designed and built by Barcelona-based studio Ferrolan LAB. The house sits on a very narrow site and this determined the architects to change the standard design.Completed in 2010, the house sits on a 12 feet by 82 feet area. It’s located in the hearth of an old town district in Barcelona. The area is characterized by small, narrow and long plots. However, this one is particularly narrow and few architects would even consider building something on such a plot.

12 feet wide family house10

The house sits on one of the narrowest spaces in the neighborhood that measures only 3,7 meters wide. The plot connects two streets. The location definitely posed some problems but the key was to try to turn the inconvenients into positive aspects. As a result, the house had to be developed vertically.

12 feet wide family house10
12 feet wide family house10
12 feet wide family house10

At the ground floor the architects placed the garage and the cinema. There’s a mezzanine level with two rooms connected by a living-study. This space also offers access to a patio garden. On the first floor there’s a courtyard. On one side there’s the dining room while on the other you can find a kitchen connected to a gallery. This area can be converted into a terrace during the summer. The second floor of the house incorporates the bedrooms and it’s a more private area. Finally, on the roof there’s a beautiful terrace.

12 feet wide family house10
12 feet wide family house10
12 feet wide family house10
12 feet wide family house10

All the rooms and different areas of the house are connected by open spaces that make the transition between the different areas. Despite its unusual design and structure, the house is actually very flexible. The interior can be easily reconfigured and it’s a lot easier to do that when the space is already well organized.

12 feet wide family house10
12 feet wide family house10
12 feet wide family house10

The house was also designed to allow the inhabitants to take advantage of the outdoor areas. The residence offers them privacy and keeps them away from all the stress of the city while also allowing them to be close to all the facilities. Because the site is between two streets, the house has to facades and two large openings. The design is unconventional but it had to be adapted to the landscape.{pics by Raimon Solà Casacuberta}.