This house is situated in the Miraflores district of Muros, a small village known for its traditional character. The village features several stone-built homes alongside numerous granaries—structures that were once residences but now serve as storage for dried and processed corn.
Perched on a steep slope, the house originally consisted of two connected sections, reflecting traditional Galician housing design. The main area included a stable and kitchen equipped with an oven and cooling stones. Over time, a third section was added, altering some of the original ethnic architectural features.
The house’s three sections are built along the slope, sheltered from the wind and located very close to the stunning golden mouth of the Muros River. The interior is divided into many small, dark compartments.
This restoration proposal is grounded in a deep understanding of the house’s context: the village’s size, existing homes, stone materials, the panoramic 180-degree river mouth view, and sunlight exposure—all key factors taken into account.
The core idea of this project is to emphasize the true essence of a house: preserving the benefits of the existing structures while creating bright, visually open interiors with smooth, flowing spaces.
To meet restoration goals, while retaining the original stone structure, the third section was replaced with a new concrete building, reflecting a shift away from the motivation to preserve stone alone and completing the architectural ensemble.
The original stone facade preserves its spatial qualities, while the new concrete section features large windows framing views of the river mouth. The orientation of these windows reflects the interior’s functional layout and harmonizes with the existing structure.
This approach enhances material efficiency, reduces the maintenance demands of stone, introduces exposed concrete and zinc elements, and integrates the roofing system.
Additionally, three skylights of varying sizes were added—in the dining area, bathroom, and original stable—to allow natural light to permeate the interior stone walls.
The interior is conceived as a fluid space, where residents move through varying heights and rooms, experiencing the unique character of each area. Through careful use of proportions, visual connections, and lighting, a continuous, harmonious space is created.
Galician pine wood is the sole material used throughout the interior, adding warmth to the space and reinforcing the concept of the new home.
The image below shows the building at night.
Project Drawings
Project Information
Architect: Fuertespeedo Arquitectos
Area: 264 m²
Project Year: 2018
Photographer: Héctor Santos-Díez
Suppliers: Acor, Cortizo, Knauf, Mitsubishi Electric, ROCKWOOL, Sika, Uponor, VMZINC
Lead Architect: Fuertespeedo Arquitectos
Design Team: Óscar Fuertes Dopico, Iago Fernández Penedo
Technical Architect: Carmen Lousame López
Clients: María del Carmen Cadórniga Valiño, Xan Filgueiras Lago
Engineer: Suárez y García a2
Partner: Jorge Fernández Alonso
Construction Contractor: Abaco CR S.L
Location: Muros, Spain
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