- Project: Quarry House
- Architect: Ramon Esteve Studio
- Location: Spain, Valencia
- Year: 2015
- Area: 610 m2
- Photography: Mariela Apollonio
A House Carved into the Hillside
The Quarry House is a dramatic contemporary residence by Ramón Esteve Estudio, set atop a steep hillside in Valencia. Conceived as both a sculptural statement and a private haven, the home embraces its rugged site conditions to deliver sweeping views of the sea and Mediterranean forest, all while maintaining a profound sense of seclusion.
Overlapping Volumes and Integration with Landscape
The house is formed from a series of overlapping boxes that appear embedded within the mountain itself. By adapting to the slope, the lower levels nestle into the terrain for stability and privacy, while the upper levels open outward with expansive terraces and floor-to-ceiling glazing. This strategy ensures panoramic sightlines toward the horizon and a strong dialogue with the surrounding forest.
A Dual Orientation
From its elevated position, the Quarry House offers two distinct perspectives:
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Toward the horizon and the sea, framed by a striking infinity pool that seems to merge with the sky.
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Toward the Mediterranean forest, where dense vegetation provides a natural backdrop of tranquility.
This dual orientation allows the residence to oscillate between openness and introspection, grounding the architecture in its environment.
Indoor-Outdoor Connection
The upper level contains the primary day areas—living, dining, and kitchen—configured as a fluid open plan. These extend naturally onto terraces and the pool deck, erasing boundaries between indoors and outdoors. The swimming pool itself projects outward as a transparent prism, hovering above the bedrooms and gym, visually fusing the house with the landscape.
Expressive Materiality
The Quarry House is characterized by a bold use of in situ white concrete, emphasized by its raw structural expressiveness. In contrast, the interiors are warmed by exquisite detailing, most notably a central staircase clad in yellow onyx Neve D’or. This backlit natural stone glows like a sculptural core, visually stitching the house from top to bottom.
The staircase’s overhanging steps, crafted from solid onyx boards with a patented internal structure, emit a subtle radiance, turning circulation into a dramatic architectural experience. These glowing slabs evoke the tectonic power of the earth itself, reinforcing the metaphor of a residence carved from the quarry.
A Private Refuge in the Heights
By retreating into the hillside while projecting outward with daring overhangs and transparent façades, the Quarry House achieves a delicate equilibrium of weight and lightness, privacy and openness. It is at once a sanctuary for its inhabitants and a bold architectural gesture that links earth, stone, and horizon.
