Oak House by Muka Arquitectura

Designed by Muka Arquitectura, Oak House is surrounded by oak trees and a sheet of water in Pedrezuela, Spain. The 2024 concrete structure is configured to preserve these natural elements, incorporating them into its layout. Oak House features a double-height glazed area for landscape views, and its interior is a spiraling journey from social to private spaces. The house offers a minimalist and timeless atmosphere, blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior.

Striking modern architecture with concrete walls, large windows, and a tranquil pool.

Surrounded by oak trees

Located in Pedrezuela, Spain, Muka Arquitetura’s Oak House makes the most of its natural surroundings. The property has two prominent oak trees and a view of the Pedrezuela reservoir, elements that significantly influence the design and positioning of the house.
An open-concept interior with concrete walls, wood accents, and a cozy living space.
The architects chose to integrate these natural features into the layout, adjusting the geometry of the building to accommodate the vegetation and the views of the water. On the south façade, a smoother and more continuous access route is created. Meanwhile, the north façade features an impressive double-height glazed area, with the oak trees dictating a curve in the straight line, pushing the structure towards the center of the plot. This design choice underlines a house theme that respects and gives way to nature.
Striking concrete and wood interior with a curved archway, bookshelves, and a red sofa.

Surrounding views of the landscape

The north façade has a special significance as it frames the views of the landscape and indicates the direction in which the slope of the land descends. This orientation influences the layout of rooms and spaces, with a diagonal layout that maximizes the penetration of natural light on all levels of the house. This configuration not only enhances the living experience, but also reinforces the house’s connection to its environment.
Cozy, industrial-style living space with exposed concrete, wood, and a built-in bookshelves.

Interior in concrete and spiral

The structure of the house, essentially in concrete, allows for flexibility in the placement of the supports, with each support having its own defined geometry and materiality. This allows for an interior path made up of different levels or floating decks that form an upward spiral. This spiral suggests not only a physical path, but also a gradient in terms of privacy.
Modernist interior with concrete beams, large windows, and a wood-and-leather chair.
Starting from the lower levels, where the more social spaces are located, such as the reception, the route passes through a study gallery, shower, bathtub, bedroom and, finally, a walk-in closet on the upper, more private levels.
Minimalist concrete and wood interior with built-in storage and large windows.

Concrete plays a fundamental role, giving the house a robust but unadorned character. The use of a double structural layer with interspersed insulation helps to blur the boundaries between inside and outside. This approach allows the material to perform multiple functions, including the structure, the shell and the interior, as well as housing the installations at its core. In addition, concrete gives Casa dos Carvalhos an austere and stripped-down character, reflecting a timeless and essential nature.
A minimalist bedroom with a concrete ceiling and large windows overlooking nature.
Through careful design and material choices, Muka Arquitetura has created a house that not only takes advantage of its natural surroundings, but also provides a perfect indoor-outdoor living experience. As a result, Oak House offers its inhabitants an engaging and multi-sensory relationship with their context, assiduously balancing modern life with elements of nature.
Striking concrete structure with expansive glass walls offering scenic views.
Concrete and wood structure with large glass walls and a cantilevered roof.

Photography courtesy of Muka Arquitectura
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- by Matt Watts

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