PORCELANOSA Grupo Projects: Marble House
10 October 2017Marble House has been one of the most outstanding projects regarding design and architecture over the last several years. We are dealing with a residential project carried out by the Openbox Architects architecture studio and made up of an impressive structure which is able to integrate both exterior and interior spaces, which becomes mostly invisible, and furthermore, there are no visual borders. Following this concept, the project meets the demands of a large-scale structure which is articulated from a solid base on which a big cube-shaped monolithic volume expands, therefore, it acknowledges the challenge of reproducing a visually lightweight structure which defies the laws of gravity
This big cube recalls the essence of marble thanks to one of the most outstanding products from the PORCELANOSA Grupo, in other words, the XLIGHT extra slim through-body porcelain by Urbatek. It is a material which envelops the whole set by combining lightness and solidity, and it fits in perfectly with the angular volumes which connect the outside façade with the inside of the house. In this way, a feeling of continuity is adapted to the needs of the shape, which creates a project that stands out because of its uniqueness and singularity
This large monolithic piece, projected with the essence of the flame white marble, is intermingled with other materials and sensations, such as the strength of natural stone, the warmth of the wood, the contrast of the decorative profiles in a black finish or the freshness of the metal beams, therefore, the expressiveness of all the material is greatly enhanced. Inside the house, there is a double-height layout whose atmospheres and spaces have been deeply designed while bearing in mind the functional aesthetic needed by making use of geometric shapes starting from the cube fragmentation to carry out the connections.
This double height organises life in the project’s inside. The ground floor and the day area openly connects with the garden through a large window; the upper floor consists of private spaces with balconies and large windows, which thanks to the angular volumes of their designs, the members’ privacy is protected without doing away with the maximum natural light usage. Last but not least, it is worth highlighting that the house protects itself from changes in the weather thanks to the ceramic covering and the arrangement of large windows which prevent the light entering directly, and they also facilitate the air circulation through the skylights.