House Among Holm Oaks sits within a residential area of Las Rozas, located on the outskirts of Madrid. The site contains a dense population of native holm oak trees that strongly shape the character of the landscape. In response, Unode Estudio approached the project through a careful balance between visibility and restraint, placing the house in a position that respects the existing vegetation while establishing a clear architectural presence.
HOUSING
The house occupies a strategic point on the plot where the topography allows distant views toward the Madrid skyline. By adapting the building to the natural slope, the design secures these views while maintaining privacy within the residential surroundings. The architecture unfolds primarily on a single level, where interior rooms connect directly with outdoor areas including porches, terraces, and the surrounding garden. This horizontal organization reinforces a continuous relationship between the house and its landscape.
Unode Estudio developed the architecture as a folded volume that gradually opens toward the south. The façade is defined by a series of articulated folds that shape the geometry of the building while guiding interior movement. These folds also orient the main rooms toward the most favorable views and sunlight. Through this strategy, the building integrates environmental considerations directly into its formal language.
Beyond visual composition, the folded façade performs an environmental role. The shifting planes help regulate solar exposure throughout the day while improving thermal comfort within the interior spaces. By controlling sunlight and shading naturally, the design supports passive climate strategies suited to the Mediterranean context of central Spain.
At the center of the house, a double-height living and dining space forms the primary gathering area. This volume acts as the social heart of the home, connecting the various functions of the dwelling. Large glazed surfaces frame views of the surrounding trees and introduce generous daylight into the interior. The transparency of these openings allows the vegetation outside to visually extend into the house.
The upper level contains the bedrooms, arranged around the central void created by the double-height space. A walkway bridges this opening and connects the private rooms, creating visual continuity between floors while maintaining spatial separation from the social areas below. Service functions and the garage are located in the basement level, keeping technical spaces discreetly integrated within the structure of the building.
Material choices reinforce the architectural relationship with the landscape. Natural stone surfaces anchor the house to the terrain, while large glazed areas maintain visual openness toward the surrounding vegetation. A ventilated metallic envelope completes the exterior system, contributing both to the building’s contemporary character and to its environmental performance.
Together, these materials create an architecture that remains precise and restrained. The house achieves a contemporary identity without overwhelming the wooded site that surrounds it. Through its geometry, organization, and material expression, House Among Holm Oaks establishes a thoughtful dialogue between built form and natural environment.
