Casa Balma Murada

Rooted in place, this modern house on the Mediterranean coast is built with traditional walls made of rough stone.

Located somewhere on the Mediterranean coast, Casa Balma Murada is a residence designed to work with the landscape it calls home, rather than against it. Barcelona-based architecture and interior design firm Mesura completed the project, using traditional methods in ingenious ways to create a modern house deeply rooted in place. The excavation stage, meant to produce enough space for a garage, led to the project’s main material choice and conceptual thread that links the building to Mediterranean traditions: natural stone, with all its beautiful imperfections, provides the building blocks for the house’s walls.

The site challenged the architecture firm to find ingenious solutions to overcome different problems; among them, the exposure to harsh coastal winds and the rocky topography that dictated the orientation of the living spaces. Local building traditions and the available materials defined the architecture, reinforcing the connection between land and design. Using traditional techniques, the studio built the stone walls as self-supporting elements that work through the force of gravity. As a result, Casa Balma Murada facilitates natural water drainage and also establishes a link to ancient Mediterranean building traditions.

The one-story structure follows both the slope and the angles of the land, with each interior space establishing a different relationship with the surrounding landscape. From inside the house, residents can admire views towards the surrounding natural park, the village, or the sea. While the exterior connects the design deeply to the landscape, the interiors establish a sense of refuge and retreat. Light and serene, they pair white walls and ceilings with polished floors and warm wood furniture. Additionally, openings of different sizes curate the views. Outside, a terrace and a pool immerse the residents into the beauty and calm atmosphere of the natural reserve. Photography by Rory Gardiner.