- Architects: Studio RHE
- Location: Carretera N-II, km. 701, 17455 Caldes de Malavella, Girona, Spain
- Architect In Charge: Richard Hywel Evans
- Project Year: 2017
- Contractor: Construccions Busquets Vilobí S.L.
- Local Architect & Structural Engineer: Lagula Arquitectes
From the architect. Studio RHE has completed a unique four bedroom villa, La Vinya, at the edge of the world famous PGA Catalunya golf resort. Located in the foothills of the Pyrenees in northeast Spain, the PGA Catalunya Resort incorporates two open championship standard golf courses with a recently curated collection of architectural villas.
Site Plan
Studio RHE took the unique features of the site to design a one-off residence that both exploits its location overlooking the famous Spanish Open course, and blends seamlessly with the hillside landscape. The architects used the unique features that characterise the hillside site, including the natural forest, undulating topography and historic agricultural walls, as defining features of the villa.
Living spaces are broken into separate components and arranged along a robust stone wall. All accommodation is orientated to provide both complete privacy and carefully framed mountain views.
The 80 m2 open space living area is built into the hillside, and leads out onto a raised plateau that overlooks a solarium terrace and infinity pool, with an outdoor barbecue kitchen and in-pool daybed. A large double-sided fireplace breaks the living area into two light, open spaces with panoramic views.
The master bedroom is designed to feel like an entirely discreet space, despite standing just a few metres apart from the main residence. Modelled on a tree house, it uses floor-to-ceiling glass panels to take full advantage of the rich tree canopy surrounding it.
Section
To integrate La Vinya into its natural surroundings, Studio RHE have created a pergola and vine-covered private courtyard with green-planted groves. Sustainable, local materials that develop a patina, including zinc, timber and ceramics have been selected so that the villa will become an increasingly established feature of the landscape over time.
To make the villa as sustainable and energy efficient as possible it is fitted with LED lights, high performance double-glazing and solar panels.
Richard Hywel Evans, Director at Studio RHE comments on the design: “The surrounding hillside agricultural walls that have been built through centuries of farming are objects of real beauty, and an integral part of the Catalunya landscape. Our structural spine wall has become the defining feature of La Vinya, shaping the architecture and providing carefully chosen framed views and great privacy. The villa is a very unique structure and a real joy to spend time in.”
The villa is close to the picturesque city of Girona, the hills of Olot, and is near Barcelona making it an attractive location for golfers, cyclists, architecture hunters and food and wine lovers.
La Vinya is the second in the collection at PGA Catalunya Villas to be designed by London architectural practice Studio RHE.