099_House in Somao
A Contemporary Take on a Storied Architectural Legacy
Nestled in the picturesque village of Somao, overlooking the Cantabrian Sea in northern Spain, this small vacation home pays homage to the region’s rich architectural heritage. Somao is renowned for its stunning collection of Indiano houses — grand, eclectic mansions built by locals who emigrated to the Americas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Upon their return, these emigrants used architecture as a way to showcase their newfound wealth and status.
These mansions blended colonial styles from the Americas with native European elements, resulting in what experts call "round-trip architecture." This style, originally brought to the Americas from Europe, returned enriched with new influences. The Indiano houses typically feature porticoes, verandas, and decorative crowning details alongside Art Deco pointed arches and Art Nouveau bay windows and balustrades. Their primary goal was to astonish — any reference to high European architecture was welcome, provided it conveyed affluence and sophistication.
These opulent facades, often adorned with towers, belvederes, and skylights, exuded urban prominence. The bold exteriors, meant to impress, stood in contrast to the more restrained interiors, where privacy and comfort prevailed. It was an architecture of appearances — outward-facing and designed to be admired.
Our project embraces this architectural legacy while subtly subverting it. As a tribute to these flamboyant homes, the house adopts their playful spatial language but turns it inside out. Instead of an elaborate exterior, it presents a modest, rounded form finished in textured lime render. The real richness lies within: a vibrant tiled courtyard at the heart of the home fosters a fluid inside-outside connection and encourages an unstructured, dynamic domestic life.
Two protruding elements — a chimney and a spiral staircase leading to a rooftop garden — offer a playful nod to the Indiano tradition. They stand as caricatures of the once-coveted symbols of social status, reminding us that true richness often resides not in what is publicly revealed but in the life lived within.
Year: 2024 / Location: Somao, Asturias, Spain / Program: Single Family House / Type: Comission / Status: Proposal (on-going) / Client: private / Size: 110m2 (interior)+ 98m2 (patio)