Murado & Elvira Arquitectos has designed a long and narrow house in Madrid, with a footprint that is just 4 metres wide to accommodate a pool and garden on the tight site.
Designed by Murado & Elvira Arquitectos, Galgo House occupies a long, narrow plot in a quiet residential area of Madrid. Comprising three above-ground storeys, a basement and roof terrace, the 280-square-metre building measures just 18 x 4 metres.
Small outdoor areas have been inserted into each floor level for reasons of privacy and spatial richness. These include a basement courtyard, a garden with a swimming pool on the ground floor, and a split-level terrace on the first floor. The intention, explains the architect, is to exchange the traditional typography of stacked levels for a dynamic vertical landscape.
An excavated patio occupying the entire front of the plot illuminates the basement with daylight. A bridge spanning this void connects the street to the garden and the house entrance.
The garden and pool, which run longitudinally along the edge of the plot, are conceived as an extension of the ground floor. Large windows incorporating perforated, sliding metal shutters articulate the ground-floor living room and kitchen.
Basement, ground, first, and second-floor plans; section
The main bedroom occupies the entire first floor and includes a walk-in closet and a large bathroom that is connected to the main terrace at the front of the building. Populated by bamboo thickets, the terrace is enclosed by walls with some openings to retain privacy and enjoy views out.
A helicoidal stair floats over this roofless room, connecting the second floor to a solarium where occupants can enjoy panoramic views of the neighborhood.
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