Mara House by Esther Vicario Azcona
Mara house, located in La Rioja, Spain, is designed by Esther Vicario Azcona in a contemporary style. The project maximizes views in both cardinal directions, with primary living spaces distributed along the façades. It prioritizes spatial efficiency and contextual integration, utilizing locally sourced materials reinterpreted for the design. The volume responds to regulatory requirements and the modes of living, achieving a harmonious living environment within the project’s contemporary essence.
Maximizing Views In La Rioja
The house, situated on a compact plot, maximizes views in both cardinal directions. Primary living spaces are distributed along the main façades, separating rest and social areas. The side façades, due to their proximity to neighbors, feature controlled openings that optimize light and ventilation while maintaining privacy. The project prioritizes spatial efficiency and contextual integration, utilizing locally sourced materials reinterpreted for the design.
An Efficient Use Of Space
The volume results from a formal study that responds to both regulatory requirements and the configuration of the house and its modes of living.Located on a plot of limited dimensions, the house offers stunning views to the northeast and southeast. To the southwest, it faces San Lorenzo, the highest mountain in La Rioja, and to the northeast, the picturesque Ojacastro cliffs provide a beautiful landscape.
Strategically Placed Windows
The design of the house places its main living spaces along these two façades, reserving the central axis for circulation and service areas.Thus, on the southwest façade, which faces the public road, the porch, living area, and master bedroom are located, while the northeast façade houses the office, painting room, and guest bedroom.
Privacy In The Design
Due to the proximity to neighboring properties on the side façades, the number of windows is minimized, and those that are included are strategically placed to allow adequate natural light and ventilation while maintaining privacy.Inside, special attention is given to the vertical axis of the home, defined by the staircase and elevator. A double vertical window with white glass is designed to gently illuminate this area while preserving privacy.
Flexible Spaces To Adapt To Users
This is a contemporary project aimed at achieving maximum spatial efficiency, with a focus on detail and a harmonious living environment. The design avoids conventional corridors, making the interior more functional. The corridor, which is 2.2 meters wide, serves multiple purposes, such as a yoga room, and is a flexible space that can adapt to different activities based on the user’s needs.
Traditionally Local Materials
The materials used for the façade are traditional from Ezcaray—lime mortar and wood—reinterpreted and adapted for this new construction. The volume of the house results from a study of multiple tests and morphological configurations, in which the different ways of living and their positioning shape the maximum allowable volume by regulations, creating a home with simple, yet bold forms.
Achieving A Contemporary Essence
This is a house specifically designed for its location, standing out within a heterogeneous context by avoiding mimicry with its neighbors and preserving the project’s contemporary essence.
Photography by María Azkarate
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