‘Solo House II’ By OFFICE

In the Spanish region of Matarraña, luxury developer Christian Bourdais has located a 100-acre site as a designated playground for architects. Alongside fourteen other international studios, Belgian architecture firm OFFICE have been invited to build a contemporary home as part of the ‘Solo House’ project.

OFFICE is comprised of architects Kersten Geers and David Van Severen, who have constructed a halo-shaped hideout for the project. ‘Solo House II’ is a contemporary holiday home that embraces rural retreat, offering a 360 degree view of the surrounding trees and sea views. By employing glass and a mobile metal mesh panel as the primary materials for the exterior walls, the architects have established a non-obtrusive option for shade and privacy. Within the residence, OFFICE have curated a collection of contemporary furnishings, selecting work from designer duo Muller Van Severen. The architects also worked with artists Richard Venlet and Pieter Vermeersch, noted for his impressive studies on colour gradients. For ‘Solo House II’, Vermeersch painted two water filtration systems on the building’s roof, which alongside a solar panel heating system adds to the eco credentials of the site. By utilising environmentally friendly features and inviting artistic input, OFFICE have established a space of coexistence between natural and manmade form, creating a work of architecture in conversation with the surrounding environment.