Ecological and economical

In Sant Cugat (Barcelona) there is an ecological, economical, and functional house designed by the studio Zazurca Architects which resorted to industrialized construction to design a house with maximum technical and ecological performance at a minimum cost. Mar Ruiz interiors was in charge of the interior design work.

As we can read in the Architecture and Design magazine, The intention behind Pep Zazurca's architecture and interior design firm commissioning this project is based on the following premise: achieve the maximum through the minimum. That is to say: the design of a house with the best technical features (quality, sustainable, and durable materials) at a minimal cost.

Before the house's foundations were even laid, it was already known where every wire would run, where every faucet would be located, and even every piece of furniture. To solidify this tangle of intentions, the architects have chosen an industrialized construction system: “We wanted the house to be manufactured in a workshop so that the different pieces could then be assembled on site.”.

A flat plot was chosen to avoid earthworks and retaining walls, with the same aim of maximizing the budget. A timber frame structure, made of pine wood (in walls, roof, and floors), with wood fiber insulation, was erected there. It is remarkable how in this house practical efficiency, ecological awareness, and good decorative taste work together simultaneously, with all the resources of those categories chosen at the lowest possible cost.

All the space fulfills its function of being useful, beautiful, and beneficial in every inch and without waste. In the bright dining room, we find a teak wood table designed by Pep Zazurca alongside Thonet's chair number 30.

The kitchen is a design by Santi Zazurca and Mar Ruiz. It is made with marine-grade plywood and matte black painted water-repellent MDF doors. The countertop and kickboard are made of Avonite. The island has been made with OSB, the same material used to clad some of the house's walls.

The living room opens onto the pool area, which is visible from the inside. Pull floor lamp, designed by Whatswhat for Muuto, and Milk Na1 table lamp, by Kasper Ronn and Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen for &Tradition. Both were purchased at Möbler.

The bed is dressed with a hand-knitted blanket and cushions from Teixidors. The armchair sits in front of an antique table from Rupià, by Thonet. The walls have been covered with OSB, the same material as the door.

The bathroom is a design by Santi Zazurca and Mar Ruiz. The black paint is made of ecological resin. On the varnished OSB countertop, designed by Santi Zazurca, is the Toulouse washbasin by Bathco.

Interior design @marruizinteriors
Photos @eugenipons
Styling @susanaocanya