A ninety square meter house that can be crossed

In one of the urban centers of the Bay of Alcudia, just a few meters from the sea, Ca'n Karl is a holiday home that is prepared for year-round use and also, and above all, to respond to the pace of its inhabitants. It is a project by the VMA studio, led by architects Vicenç Mulet and Elena García, and it can be said that it was built with a double challenge: how to fit an ambitious program into a small plot and how to do so with a construction system that is still little established. The result is a fresh and measured architecture, with a Mediterranean taste and technologically advanced.

The plot, 300 m^² and on the corner, it was reduced to only 90 m^² of possible occupancy due to urban setbacks. And yet, the owner's plan for his house was clear: a living room, dining room, and kitchen all integrated, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms, all on a single floor. The architects say they were inspired by the layout of a boat: the common areas at the stern, open and generous, and the bedrooms at the bow, compact like the cabins of a boat.

A ship on solid ground

This boat-like feel is especially evident in the wooden hallway leading to the bedrooms, reminiscent of the interior of a yacht. But it's also evident in the kitchen, all with well-crafted woodwork and a direct connection to the garden and terraces, reminiscent of the natural flow between interior and exterior so characteristic of life at sea. However, depending on how it is used, this house can feel intimate and secluded or spacious and open.

In any case, what makes Ca'n Karl most unique is the way it was built, the construction system. VMA collaborated with the company EFB-Efibuilding, one of the few companies in the Balearic Islands specializing in industrialized construction. After being designed down to the last detail in the architects' studio, the house was manufactured in a workshop in metal-framed modules and then transported to the site where it would be built, in an assembly that requires great precision. And when the house, or rather, its parts, "arrived" at the site, the wardrobes, headboards, and a good portion of the interior finishes were already installed. Therefore, there are no budgetary deviations or surprises in the deadlines: everything must fit together like the pieces of a clock.

It's worth noting that Ca'n Karl's relationship with the climate is key. Architects Vicenç Mulet and Elena García studied the sun's trajectory: in winter, the southeast orientation allows the first rays to generously warm the interior; in summer, the blinds and pergola block the western radiation. In this way, the interior of the house maintains a stable temperature year-round: in summer it doesn't exceed 26 degrees, in winter it doesn't drop below 15. The façade acts as a breathing "skin," capable of adapting to each season.

The heart of the house is the open-plan space where the kitchen, living room, and dining room coexist. The kitchen is integrated into a discreet and functional cabinet and is completed by a central block. The fixed furniture, woodwork, and even a perimeter bench in the garden demonstrate the architectural firm's attention to detail. Ca'n Karl's style is understated, neutral, and Mediterranean: nothing is superfluous and everything invites a peaceful life.

Continuities and transitions

Perhaps what's most striking about this home is the natural way in which it allows itself to be traversed, by people, but also by the air. The number and size of the doorways, along with the terraces, allow for a seamless transition between inside and out. Everything can be completely open, half-closed to gain shade and maintain ventilation, or completely closed. A simple passage leads from the living room to the small pool, from the kitchen to the garden table, from the living room to the bench shaded by the pergola. This fluidity, so simple at first glance, is the key to an architecture designed to make living in a pleasure that requires little maintenance.

And although it was created as a vacation home, Ca'n Karl is designed to be lived in during any season. In fact, foreigners who have summer homes on the islands are increasingly less likely to stay there during the summer and more often during the rest of the year. In any case, the construction system used for this home, its energy efficiency, and its climate control guarantee comfort beyond the summer. It's a house that breathes Mediterranean air, combining tradition and innovation, and basing its architecture on a natural accompaniment to everyday life.