MRA Apartments

The architectural design of MRA Apartments assembles two volumes: the traditional and the contemporary, the massive and the light, the sky and the ground. It also empowers the building concept of lighthouse -“Mirador”.

The lower levels, the ones designed according to the primitives of the traditional aesthetics, represent the tower of the lighthouse. The materiality echoes the traditional Mallorquin hillside terraces, “bancales”, traditional strategies applied in terrains with big slopes.

MRA Apartment merges with the nature, there is no distinction between the building and the landscape, and creates terraces and outdoor spaces, gardens, and pools. The materials are the traditional stone together with wooden framed windows and shutters.

Two apartments occupy the ground floor, extending themselves to the basement, which is partially open to the views due to the slope, both of them with terraces and private pools. Floors 1 and 2 complete the column of the lighthouse. Both apartments share the same strategy to gain terraces and private pools: recessing themselves to the interior at the south part of the volume in order to permit sun and ventilation for the pool and the terrace.

The stone building is carved like the natural stone cliffs.

In contrast, the upper levels, constructed by steel and glass, represent the lantern of the lighthouse and the corresponding contemporary part of the two volumes cited by the concept.

Applying an ethereal design formed my light and transparent materials, the volume is expanded attaining the maximum permitted surface and handling uttermost with the panoramic views. Replacing compact walls with large windows, any possible boundary between the interior and the exterior space is eliminated following the function and the form of the lantern of the lighthouse.

The transparent walls allow the natural illumination and ventilation of the interior space offering concurrently the unconditional amuse of the breathtaking views.

In MRA Apartments, all exterior areas of each house are provided with gardens and swimming pools, which enhance the quality of the views and emphasize the privacy and independence of its users. The front and back facades are two contrasts, as is the general concept of the building.

On one hand, the back of the MRA Aparments, where the private areas are located, offers small windows to the less privileged views of the neighborhood that allow sufficient light and ventilation but do not compromise the privacy of the users. In contrast, the main façade, facing south and where the public and leisure areas are located, offers a complete opening towards the Mediterranean Sea.

The relation of the plot with the street, in regards of access and parking, is determined by the slope and the lack of space. Parking is provided by allocating some spots to the street in ground floor and with a car lift that links directly to the garage in the -2. The back façade, in contrast with the front one, is more secluded with smaller windows, to keep privacy and intimacy.

MRA Apartments is very exposed to the south orientation, and in Mediterranean weather, that means big heat gain and glare. The façade of the project combines 2 strategies: traditional shutters at the lower levels together with a very thick stone façade, and sun protected windows with exterior blinds in the upper levels. The climate control also follows the principle of the 2 different parts of the building. MRA Apartments is designed following the passivhaus principles.