Page 128 - AIT0725_E-Paper

WOHNEN • LIVING TECHNISCHER AUSBAU • TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS

Zonierung ohne Schwellen: Der raumhohe Vorhang strukturiert die offene Fläche, ohne den Bewegungsfluss zu stören. • A full-height curtain structures the open-plan space without interrupting the flow of movement.

Einbaumöbel lassen sich auch im Sitzen bedienen. • Built-in furniture can be operated while seated. Ausgangspunkt des Projekts: Der ehemals feuchte Lagerraum • Starting point: a formerly damp storage space

C asavera is the result of converting a once damp and ageing sports shop on the wood and ceramic, mostly sourced locally, reflect the area’s proximity to the sea and
ground floor of a terraced house in El Cabanyal – Valencia’s historical fishing
its cultural identity. The site is just six metres wide but extends 25 metres in depth – a
district – into a fully accessible home. On a footprint of 135 square metres, a bright, typical plot for the neighbourhood. The architectural response was a clear division:
Mediterranean living space was created that meets every requirement of barrier-free the street-facing existing building was carefully renovated and extended at the rear
design. One of the clients, Elies, has used a wheelchair since a spinal cord injury with a 7.5-metre-long new structure. Connecting the two volumes is a 26-square-
at the age of 18. Elies – an entrepreneur and activist for inclusion – now shares this metre open patio – a central space and the heart of the home.
home with his partner Aurora – a dancer, director and multimedia designer – their
daughter Vera, and the family’s four cats. This diverse household, with its differing 25 metres deep – old building, new addition and a connecting patio
levels of mobility, needs and routines, made accessibility the central design principle.
Before the planning phase began, we entered into an intensive dialogue with the The old building contains all the shared functions: entrance, multipurpose space,
future residents. We wanted to learn as much as possible about Elies – his range bathroom, living room, kitchen and dining area. The new addition houses the private
of movement, his limitations, and the mobility and leisure products he distributes areas: a bedroom with slanted skylights in blue and yellow, a separate bathroom, and
through his company Rodem (Valencian for “We roll”). We documented his posture a utility room. The patio in between plays both functional and atmospheric roles. As
from different angles to better understand the spatial ergonomics the flat would need a thermodynamic element, it ensures natural cross-ventilation and a pleasant indoor
to offer. This led to a first sketch not of the floor plan, but of a kind of personalised climate, acting in the tradition of Mediterranean architecture as a climatic buffer – a
“Modulor” based on Elies’ silhouette in various positions. In parallel, we analysed key consideration given Valencia’s high temperatures. All floors, inside and out, are
the limited regional and national accessibility standards and incorporated key fin- laid on a single level with continuous tiling. The greatest construction challenge was
dings into the spatial layout: 1.5-metre turning circles, no corridors, 80 cm wide keeping the entire living area at street level, allowing for a completely step-free, open
doors, and under-counter access in the kitchen and study area – all designed to maxi- sequence of spaces. The only interruption is a central water basin measuring 5.8 by 1.7
mise everyday autonomy, mobility and safety. The choice of materials followed the metres. This seven-cubic-metre, south-facing pool is raised above ground – a solution
same logic – a consistent, durable yet soft material concept with restrained looks, that’s both accessible and architecturally compelling. It can be accessed barrier-free
tactilely pleasant, and in tune with the architectural language of El Cabanyal. Clay, from several areas and acts as a connecting element between old and new. It is a cen-

128 • AIT 7/8.2025