Beautiful House in Spain Uses Glass And Concrete In Unexpected Ways

Most houses are made from pretty much the same materials… so how come they’re all so different from each other? The answer is of course obvious: because there’s a lot more going on in each case and because the same materials can be used in numerous different ways. Take this beautiful Spain house for example. It was designed and built by studio nexe arquitectura in 2018 and occupies a rectangular plot in a residential suburb of San Baudilio de Llobregat. It’s made from a combination of concrete, glass and wood, materials which have been around for ages. Still, it’s special and uses these materials in unexpected ways. The architects took advantage of the plasticity of concrete to help the house adapt to its surroundings and used the other two materials to give it a balanced and modern look.

On top of the garage there's a large open terrace which overlooks the street
On top of the garage there’s a large open terrace which overlooks the street
The spaces facing the back of the site enjoy a nice dialogue with the outdoors
The spaces facing the back of the site enjoy a nice dialogue with the outdoors
The various and outdoor areas are connected in a very natural and fluid manner
The various and outdoor areas are connected in a very natural and fluid manner

The site’s inclination and orientation allow the house to frame the immediate surroundings as well as the distant landscape and the designers made sure to incorporate the beautiful views into the overall layout of the house as best as possible. All the spaces are organized on three levels. The lower one houses a series of semi-basement rooms as well as the garage. The one on top of it contains the main spaces such as the living room, kitchen, patio, some of the bedrooms and a terrace.

The different floors are also interconnected in a really cool and seamless fashion
The different floors are also interconnected in a really cool and seamless fashion
Glass railings and matching flooring make the transition between the living spaces and the poolside deck almost unnoticeable
Glass railings and matching flooring make the transition between the living spaces and the poolside deck almost unnoticeable

It also has direct access to the pool area which is on the same level. The top floor incorporates the rest of the bedrooms and is positioned towards the back of the house. Throughout these spaces it’s rather easy to see how various vertical and horizontal surfaces blend together creating a very smooth transition between the different areas.

The rough concrete surfaces are very efficiently complemented by contrasting surfaces
The rough concrete surfaces are very efficiently complemented by contrasting surfaces
Glass in particular was used extensively throughout the house, often in unusual and interesting ways
Glass in particular was used extensively throughout the house, often in unusual and interesting ways
The poolside deck serves as an extension of the indoor leisure spaces, including the kitchen
The poolside deck serves as an extension of the indoor leisure spaces, including the kitchen
The indoor and the outdoor spaces are separated by large sliding glass doors which blur the boundaries between them
The indoor and the outdoor spaces are separated by large sliding glass doors which blur the boundaries between them
This particular space is a beautiful example that shows how well the concrete, wood and glass complement each other
This particular space is a beautiful example that shows how well the concrete, wood and glass complement each other