The Spanish firm Fran Silvestre Arquitectos has designed a house in Las Rozas, near Madrid. The building’s form is based on five cylindrical volumes; the whole structure covers an area of 370 square metres, making the most of the natural topography and opening up to the mountain panorama. The house is like a sculpture and draws inspiration from contemporary art.
A house like a sculpture – five cylinders
The house was built in Las Rozas, Spain, on a plot with a beautiful view of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains. The architects at Fran Silvestre Arquitectos moved away from a classical composition and based the entire design on five cylindrical volumes. Each of these has been assigned its own function. The separate sections house the bedrooms, the living area, a space with a garage and driveway along with leisure facilities, a cylinder housing the swimming pool and technical rooms, and the entrance area. This division has created a clear layout for the house.
Geometry adapted to the terrain
The cylinders were ‘trimmed’ at an angle for two reasons. The first stems from the natural slope of the plot – the building blends in with the contours of the local terrain. The second is linked to tradition, where sloping ends create roofs reminiscent of the local architectural style. This design also allows light to enter the house from various directions, changing the atmosphere of the interiors depending on the time of day.
Internal courtyard and views of the landscape
The building’s floor plan is based on rectangular elements set at an angle of 120 degrees. As a result, a small courtyard has been created between the volumes, the character of which changes as the sun moves across the sky. The window openings frame striking views of the surrounding landscape, and each part of the house has been given its own outdoor space. Two cylindrical sections enclose intimate patios sheltered from the wind and the view of neighbours, whilst another opens out onto a spacious terrace.
A house like a sculpture by Andreu Alfaro
The architects admit that a key inspiration for this concept was the sculpture ‘Homage to Brancusi’ by Andreu Alfaro. Its rhythm and the way its forms are constructed are reflected in the house’s architecture. Designed by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos, the building transcends its residential function and can also be regarded as a spatial composition by an architect-artist. The structure plays with perspective, light and its relationship with the austere Spanish landscape.
design: Fran Silvestre Arquitectos
location: Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain
floor area: 370 sq m
year of completion: 2026
photographs: Fernando Guerra | FG SG
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