Located in Loredo, a coastal town in northern Spain, Casa Loredo is the second residence designed by Zooco Estudio for its ongoing series titled New Vernacular Architecture of the Cantabrian Coast. Designed on a narrow plot with views across the bay to Santander, the house serves as both shelter and viewpoint. Surrounded by pines and holm oaks, the building opens toward the northwest with broad glazing that amplifies the connection between interior and sea.
The project addresses the unique topography and visual potential of the site by organizing spaces around long sightlines. From the moment of entry, visitors can see through the house toward the water. This gesture defines the spatial logic of the design and reinforces the home’s role as a built lens to the sea.
Material Approach Rooted in Context
Casa Loredo uses local building knowledge as a foundation, but reinterprets it through current architectural methods. The design draws from traditional techniques without reproducing them literally. Limestone masonry, common in regional architecture, appears prominently on the exterior. The application feels deliberate rather than decorative. Here, stone serves structural, visual, and cultural purposes.
Wood also features in the home’s material palette, inserted into wall sections and used in ceiling systems arranged in directional slats. These wooden elements support a continuous relationship between inside and out. They also give rhythm to the space, echoing the coastal horizon line and guiding attention outward. Together with glass and reinforced concrete, the materials work in coordination to produce an environment that feels grounded.
Adapting to Harsh Weather
The house faces the exposed edge of the Cantabrian Sea. Strong winds and frequent rainfall shaped the design process. Instead of turning away from the elements, the structure uses protective strategies that still allow for openness. Sheltered courtyards, projecting roofs, and covered outdoor spaces provide comfort and durability.
These architectural features offer layered thresholds between inside and outside. They help transition from protected interior zones to open-air spaces while softening the impact of coastal weather.
Plan Configuration and Spatial Use
Zooco Estudio organized the residence in an L-shaped configuration that clearly separates daily life from guest accommodation. One wing, oriented east-west, contains the social zones and primary bedroom. The other wing, running north-south, houses guest spaces. Together, they create a layout that feels private yet adaptable.
From the entry point, the plan allows for visual continuity. Glass lines direct the eye through the central connection between wings and toward the horizon. This layout balances movement, openness, and control, allowing the occupants to feel both connected and independent within the home.
Technique as Interpretation
A consistent theme throughout the project is reinterpretation. Zooco Estudio avoids nostalgia and instead applies regional knowledge through updated construction techniques. For example, while the limestone walls recall rural architecture, their execution reflects current engineering and building standards.
The structural system alternates between concrete shear walls and glazed panels, forming a rhythm of solidity and lightness. These choices give the house clarity in function and form. The use of slatted wood in ceilings, both inside and out, further emphasizes orientation and light behavior across the day.
This careful mix of familiar textures and modern construction produces a home that references the past without replicating it. It respects the surrounding environment while introducing contemporary spatial language.
Official project name: Casa Loredo NAVC01
Location: Loredo, Cantabria, Spain
Completion year: 2024
Architecture and design: ZOOCO ESTUDIO
Team: Miguel Crespo Picot, Javier Guzmán Benito, Sixto Martín Martínez.
Collaborators: Paula Cruz
Construction: COBOMAN S.L
Lighting design: ZOOCO ESTUDIO
Furniture: ZOOCO ESTUDIO
Main materials: Limestone masonry, wood, glass, reinforced concrete
Sector: Single-family housing
Photography: David Zarzoso
