Unveiling Casa Velazquez: A Mineral to Live In

Discover the Award-Winning Residential Design by Joaquín Millán Villamuelas

The uniqueness of Casa Velazquez lies in its tectonic configuration and material expressiveness. Despite being located in an environment devoid of attractive architectural or cultural references, the house stands out as a crystallized mineral, a set of spatial blocks crowded together. This organic, stony condition extends to the interiors, with marbled or mineral-like materials enhancing the mineral concept of the house.

The realization of Casa Velazquez involved a two-floor design. The lower floor, a concrete vase, occupies the entire plot, protecting the house from humidity due to a strong rock behind the house and an underground water flow. The upper level, with a metallic structure and brick walls, is clad with travertine tiles or white plaster on the outside, perfect for sun reflection in the warm weather location. The house boasts excellent reflective insulation in roofs and facades, making it highly efficient.

The technical specifications of Casa Velazquez reflect meticulous attention to detail. The facade marble travertine tiles measure 300 x 30 x 600 mm, while the white marble pieces for the floors and interior walls cladding are 600 x 15 x 600 mm. The window frames are anodized aluminium gold champagne colour, with thermal bridge breakage for greater thermal insulation. The non-transitable flat roof is made up of slopes, approved asphalt cloth, and thermal insulation gravel finishing.

The design of Casa Velazquez is not just about aesthetics; it's also about functionality. The house is designed to be lived on the first floor, elevated 1.5 meters above the street level. This design decision was made to maximize the underground parking floor and create comfortable and useful patios for family life. The house also features a very efficient radiant floor heating (RFH) system, with each room's floor functioning as a radiator that warms everything to the desired temperature.

The project phase of Casa Velazquez spanned from September 2016 to July 2017, with the construction phase running from December 2017 to September 2018. The design team, including Joaquin Millán Villamuelas, Natalia Garmendia Cobo, Alessio Runci, Pilar Bolaños Almeida, and Paolo Mercorillo, overcame creative and technical challenges to create a house that is elegant, special, and full of light, thanks to strategically located skylights, patios, and openings.

Casa Velazquez is a testament to the power of innovative design and architectural prowess. It's no wonder that this unique residential project was awarded Silver in A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2019. This prestigious award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that demonstrate outstanding expertise and innovation. Casa Velazquez, with its unique design and remarkable execution, truly embodies these qualities.