Spanish firm DTR_studio architects has designed a residential project in the country's southern coastal town of Estepona that maximizes space within a tight urban surrounding. 

Called the Wiik House, the project was envisioned for a family based in Oslo, Norway, who wanted a second residence in Estepona’s downtown district. The firm utilized a U-shaped plot with an existing house in the center. 

This configuration allowed the firm to form two independent façades that face the same street. In addition, the layout enables the division of the housing program into two distinct units: the main house on the side and a guest apartment on the other. 

The street along the home has little significance, according to the firm, so the façades integrate into the environment without standing out and, instead, direct attention to the interior. 

The project is organized around the interior patios and the roof, which is inspired by Arab architecture. It calls for a space that needs to be lived, inhabited, and walked in. 

The use of light, water, and vegetation is central to the design. It blurs the distinction between the inside and outside, takes advantage of the mild surrounding climate, and reinforces a commitment to Mediterranean vernacular architecture. 

Natural light is invited into the space through a combination of patios, stairs-skylights, double heights, and more. As noted by the architects, the house’s materiality uses “sincere finishes” reflected through various elements throughout the space.

Polished concrete floors provide continuity to all areas, wood paneling takes advantage of large storage lines, terracotta provides a unique feature, and the ceiling injects a fifth façade.