PENTHOUSE TERRACES 

EXTERIOR SPACES OF A PRIVATE RESIDENCE

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This is a project of a private residential outdoor space for an exclusive attic in Barcelona. Located in the upper part of the city, the attic enjoys spectacular vistas of the city, Montjuïc and the sea and the Collserola Mountain.
The second and third stories of the apartment, a triplex, are set back from the facades of the building and own different outdoor balconies and terraces of different widths, with 180 degree views for the three different stories, including the roof of the building.

The goal of the project has been to respond to the different conditions of these outdoor spaces, in terms of orientation, exposure to the views, and privacy from the neighboring roof terraces. We also wanted these spaces to have a sense of unity and a consistency in the material definition so that they would be understood as a whole when viewed from above or from the interior of the dwelling.

The exterior spaces increase in surface when going up. The smaller terraces and balconies of the first floor, attached to the rooms, are mostly designed for big planters containing an array of cactus species, the favorite plant of the client. The color and formations of the cacti and the lifted trays are of designed from a visual perspective, to be seen and enjoyed from the interior.

The main upper terrace, which is linked to the roof by an exterior staircase, has a sitting area that extends the interior living room. The vegetation in the terraces at this level is located in some planters that do not stand out from the “floating” pavement, taking advantage of the buffer space between the slab and the surface of the pavement. Aromatic plants in the floor planters and bamboo along the perimeter of the terrace create a filter of privacy and soften the wooden and slate stripes of the hardscape.

The roof has two levels. The inferior one contains a changing room with toilet and shower in a volume of wooden stripes that matches the smaller volumes that contain collective building appliances wrapped of in the same way and material.

At the upper level, searching for the drama of the edge, is an infinity pool. The pool is integrated in a wooden floor that folds up and extends to configure a vertical plane of spaced out wooden stripes for safety and privacy.
At the other side of the interior staircase on the roof is an outdoor kitchenette and a “chill out” area for enjoying the vistas. An awning covers the space, framing the Barcelona skyline.

The same pavement combination of wood and slate is used at all levels, with changes in the directionality of the stripes and an increasing density of wood stripes approaching the roof. The same wood also appears in the railings and wall fences, where different spacing of the stripes allows different visual permeability. The gray and greenish color of the slate blends well with the greenery and interrupted by the warmth of the wood, contrasts with the white furniture elements.