- Project: Olivos House
- Architect: Balzar Arquitectos
- Location: Spain, Quesa
- Year: 2022
- Area: 265 m2
- Photography: David Zarzoso
In the quiet countryside of Valencia, Olivos House by Balzar Arquitectos celebrates the deep-rooted connection between its owners and the Mediterranean village of Quesa. Set on the last urban olive field at the edge of the municipality, the 2,852-square-foot residence embraces its natural surroundings with terracotta-toned architecture, intimate courtyards, and a seamless indoor-outdoor dialogue.
A Story Rooted in Place
The clients, originally from Barcelona, had spent summers in Quesa during their childhood and rekindled their bond with the village and its landscape upon returning years later. Their new home honors this connection by fusing architecture, environment, and memory into a single, contemporary retreat.
Mediterranean Spatial Logic
The one-story house uses three courtyards to balance privacy with openness, bringing light and greenery into the interiors while framing views of olive fields and sky. A large porch, typical of Mediterranean culture, extends social life outdoors, offering shelter from the western sun and serving as a transition space.
A longitudinal platform with a pool stretches into the olive groves, visually merging the home with the surrounding landscape. Large motorized glass panels further dissolve boundaries, ensuring that every interior space maintains a direct relationship with the olive fields.
Water as Experience
Water plays a defining role in the design. The outdoor pool, semicircular at one end and semi-covered by a dome, extends toward the fields. Inside, a spa with an indoor pool, large-windowed showers, and outdoor bathing areas create a sensorial environment that transforms daily routines into immersive experiences. Both pools are equipped with temperature regulation systems, allowing year-round use.
Materials, Colors, and Atmosphere
Materiality is central to Olivos House. Terracotta floors and facades harmonize with the surrounding landscape, while Iranian travertine, brass accents, and olive-green carpentry introduce contrast and sophistication. These choices create a warm, tactile environment that resonates with Mediterranean tradition while feeling unmistakably contemporary.
Innovation and Sustainability
The house is built using a Steel Frame structural system, inspired by the American Balloon Frame technique, ensuring speed and precision in construction. A large metal truss supports the expansive 18-meter living space, allowing uninterrupted openness.
Sustainability was a guiding principle. The home meets Passivhaus standards, minimizing energy consumption through advanced insulation, airtightness, high-performance windows, and passive ventilation strategies. The result is a home that achieves exceptional comfort while respecting the environment.
A Mediterranean Retreat for All Seasons
With its courtyards, pools, and terracotta tones blending into the olive groves, Olivos House is more than a residence—it is a modern Mediterranean retreat that reconnects its inhabitants with place and memory. Balzar Arquitectos have crafted a house that is at once personal, sustainable, and deeply attuned to its context.
