steel columns raise the house 144º above a steep slope in Maresme
It is located on a steep wooded slope in nearby Maresme BarcelonaHouse 144º explores how to build on a sloping site without reshaping the landscape. Designed by Pineda & Monedero and Jaime Prous Architects as a single-family house, almost zero energy home for a retired couple, the project is set slightly above ground, preserving the existing trees and topography. Rather than maximizing the footprint through excavation, the house adopts a minimal impact strategy that allows the ground to remain largely untouched and used for parking.
The house is organized on a single level, placed in the middle of the slope and rests on a light steel structure. Its floor plan follows a broken line forming an angle of 144°, orienting the living space towards a distant mountain view. One end of the house is anchored to the ground, while the other extends outwards on a cantilever, supported by four galvanized steel columns cross braced to maintain structural performance.
all images from Bunny del Rio
a steel-clad shell and wood core organize space and structure
The build system, designed by his collaborative team Studio Pineda & Monedero and Jaime Prous Architectsis based on a dry assembly process, combining prefabricated wooden elements with industrial materials. The main structure consists of wooden wall panels assembled on site, combined with a light floor construction of solid wooden beams. A corrugated galvanized steel casing protects the wooden frame, creating a clear relationship between the structure and the casing.
The openings are cut into the steel facade as large frameless openings, reducing the building’s visual presence within the landscape. This approach contrasts with the interior, where the exposed timber structure defines a series of simple, clearly organized spaces. The living room juts out towards the view, extending the interior into the landscape, while at the opposite end, a workshop is located in the basement and lit from above.
Through its elevated structure, prefabricated timber system and controlled use of industrial materials, the house proposes an approach to hillside construction that prioritizes environmental continuity, structural clarity and spatial orientation.
144º house on a wooded slope in Maresme
Corrugated steel envelope protects the wooden frame
large frameless openings cut into the steel facade
the openings reduce the visual presence of the building
positioned to retain existing trees and topography
the living space projects out to the landscape
