Arch Tracker

Project: Z2U House
Author: ZON-E
Location: Gorraiz, Navarra, Spain
Year: 1998-2004
Type: Commission
Program: Single HOuse
Client: Private
Total Area: 796 sq mt
Budget: 481,900 Euros

The Z2U house has been built on high ground in the development of Gorraiz, near Pamplona. The lot has an elongated form, with a road traffic access in its southwestern side and astounding views in its northeastern side.

The regulation demands locating the building in the lot’s barycenter, leaving 3 meters free from both sides, 6 from the road and 15 from the back. This regulation resulted in residual spaces in the sides of the lot and privacy problems in most of the built-up lots in Gorraiz.  Our project makes the most of these potentially residual lateral spaces, incorporating them to a Z of connections which links in its route all the spaces, completely colonizing the vast plot.

To solve the privacy problems caused by the closeness to the adjacent buildings, the plan view of the house shows a shift in two of its walls forming a U. These generate two semi-patios through which light gets into the daytime areas of the house, restraining its full exposure to the surroundings. Moreover, the level of the garden opposite the living-room has been raised to join it to the house and separate it from the road traffic access at the lot’s front.

The result is a pair of U’s (materialized with grey stucco walls) that are crossed by a Z of connections (materialized with slate). The floor develops on both sides of this Z, following a spiral motion with its vortex in the main staircase and the elevator. The cross-section also participates of the cut in the Z, being deformed by its own centripetal force. This  way, the space opens up from the inside.

The implementation of this plan is extensive and complex for a house. It is a dwelling for a family with five adult children who will live in the house temporarily. In response to this situation, each part was given a great autonomy. Thus, the house could be described as an accordion with different levels of programmatic expansion. The autonomy of each bedroom with its bathroom and studio; the exits directly to the outside, withouth crossing the living-room; the sliding partition walls; the elevator; the heating circuits… All of these make the house operate with a diagram that is halfway between a hotel and a dwelling.

Given the extensive and complex program in comparison to the size of the plot, and given the limited economic and constructive resources, the final design has kept a great formal austerity.

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