Molding clay
Tourism guesthouse in Villafranca de los Barros, Spain.
Sara Rojo//Alejandro Gala
2009

 

Mold clay into a vessel;
from its not-being (in the vessel’s hollow)
arises the utility of the vessel.
Lao Tse 

 

Walking through Villafranca: rough whitewashing, red sheets dancing high above, endless lines of vines and olive trees that become points, yards of light, shadows of grilles and far away the red earth embracing everything.

 

We mold the earth, pushing it into the town. The building emerges from this movement. The earth is the material. We contain the mud, molding with white walls that resemble town streets. The earth goes up to the roofs, sliding in different positions. 

 

In the project as in Villafranca we see the white color when we walk in the town and when we go further we see the red one.

 

The walls create room outside, inside and transitional spaces. 
Outside: A garden of olive trees, spa, parking, access, terraces, gardens. 
Inside: 
Function room: It welcomes the clients, we enter it through a wall which turns.
Cafeteria: Up, to see better. 
Restaurant: Views, you can place the tables outside. 
SPA: light enters punching the walls. 
Central Hall: The walls and the olive trees come in.
Bedroom: It’s like being in the countryside. 
Transitional spaces: Balconies facing the inside.

 

We use strategies based on sustainability: Two systems for rainwater harvesting (on the roof and on the land). Low water-use plants and water saving devices. Passive solar technologies in walls and roofs. Vegetation. Solar water heating. Geothermal energy ...