Spanish courtyard home combines traditional motifs with contemporary designs
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Twobo Arquitectura, a Barcelona-based architectural firm, has unveiled Casa Tres Patis, a contemporary interpretation of the classical Roman villa and Mediterranean courtyard house in Girona, Spain. The design of this unique residence is heavily influenced by ancient Roman houses, particularly the design of the Roman impluvium.
The house consists of three independent pavilions arranged around three square courtyards, known as "tres patis." Each courtyard serves a unique role—one for social gatherings, another with a swimming pool mirroring the Roman impluvium's function, and a third intimate courtyard featuring an aromatic garden.
Key design elements include the spatial configuration, materials, classical and modern inspiration, integration with the environment, and programmatic articulation. The use of local, handcrafted materials such as ceramic tiles, iroko wood panels, glass walls, and polished concrete floors creates a balance between solidity and transparency, blending ancient monumentality with contemporary warmth and domestic comfort.
The architects drew inspiration from modernist principles, citing influences from Le Corbusier and Sigurd Lewerentz. This is evident in the arrangement of framed views, carefully arranged apertures, and the layering of interior and exterior spaces. The pool's role as a cooling and water-collecting feature is a direct reinterpretation of the Roman impluvium.
The design dissolves boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces through large windows, shaded walkways, natural ventilation, and solar energy strategies, embodying a modern sustainable approach while maintaining connections to tradition and nature. The three pavilions functionally organize the house into clearly defined zones for living, children’s rooms and laundry, and a guest house/workshop.
Casa Tres Patis is a contemporary reinterpretation of the classical Roman villa and Mediterranean courtyard house, emphasizing light, air, materiality, and an experiential connection to the environment through a composition of three courtyards and pavilions that together foster a measured, poetic domestic life.
Twobo Arquitectura, known for their considered approach to design, has won several awards for their work on housing developments and one-off private dwellings. The western pavilion contains two en-suites, a utility area, and bedrooms. The architects were inspired by classical typologies, particularly the ruins of ancient Roman villas in Empúries. The sense of solidity in the house is paired with the diaphanous arrangement of terracotta tiles and glass walls.
[1] Twobo Arquitectura. (2021). Casa Tres Patis. Retrieved from https://www.twoboarquitectura.com/casa-tres-patis
[2] Dezeen. (2021). Twobo Arquitectura's Casa Tres Patis in Girona, Spain, is a contemporary reinterpretation of the classical Roman villa. Retrieved from https://www.dezeen.com/2021/12/27/twobo-arquitectura-casa-tres-patis-girona-spain-classical-roman-villa-interior-design/
[3] ArchDaily. (2021). Twobo Arquitectura's Casa Tres Patis in Girona, Spain. Retrieved from https://www.archdaily.com/984476/twobo-arquitecturas-casa-tres-patis-in-girona-spain
[4] World Architecture News. (2021). Casa Tres Patis by Twobo Arquitectura. Retrieved from https://www.world-architecture-news.com/projects/casa-tres-patis-by-twobo-arquitectura/
[5] Architizer. (2021). Casa Tres Patis by Twobo Arquitectura. Retrieved from https://architizer.com/projects/casa-tres-patis/
- The design of Casa Tres Patis, a contemporary reinterpretation of the classical Roman villa, incorporates both a Mediterranean courtyard house aesthetic and principles of interior design, creating a harmonious blend of ancient and modern lifestyles within a home and garden setting.
- The unique residential project, Casa Tres Patis, designed by Twobo Arquitectura, offers a fusion of home-and-garden lifestyle and interior-design elements, emphasizing the integration of outdoor spaces with the interior, fostering a strong connection between architecture, lifestyle, and the surrounding environment.
