The hidden house is a rehabilitation strategy for uninhabited inland Spain that is made viable through industrialised architecture. A logical and sustainable way to help solve the serious problem of the housing shortage in Spain. A dialogue between the most traditional and the most contemporary architecture, with the respect that comes from understanding that they are different realities. Although they are in dialogue, they cannot be confused. The people who live in them today are very different from the original farmers. The architecture cannot be the same.
Cortesía de Hombre de Piedra
With 78 inhabitants on the census, Medinilla de Ávila had 3,000 inhabitants in the 1960s. The lack of labour in construction is immeasurable. The most feasible way for the family to rehabilitate this 200 year old Castilian cattle shed (it was never a house) to 21st century quality standards and at a reasonable cost was to ‘manufacture’ the house in a place where modern means of production were available.
Cortesía de Hombre de Piedra
The solution was to design a contemporary capsule house, with all the qualities offered by today’s industry and with an ‘A’ energy rating.
Cortesía de Hombre de Piedra
Manufactured in the place that has the appropriate means, projected using as a design and construction module maritime containers because they are the maximum volume transportable in a conventional way by road, which is important knowing the roads that lead to that town.
Cortesía de Hombre de Piedra
It is introduced by modules from the roof, leaving exciting transition spaces, like courtyards, between the stone building and the current one. The layout of the ensemble allows us to enjoy the ancient beauty of the original construction intact in an almost archaeological way.
Project Info
Architects: Hombre de Piedra Arquitectos, Juan Ignacio Vilda Marín
Country: Spain, Medinilla
Area: 158 m²
Year: 2024
photographs: courtesy of Hombre de Piedra
Architects: Rafael Blasco Ramírez, Jaime Fernández Moro, Javier Valenzuela Ribero, Jaime Sierra Saucedo, Rafael Brenes Luque
Partner Project Manager: Laura Dominguez Hernández
Project Leader: Antonio Jiménez Rufo, Daniel Fernández Pineda
Calculation Of Structures And Installations: CQD Ingenieria
Quantity Surveyor And Safety Coordinator: Manuel Miguel García
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.