Teacher’s House by Arqxé Arquitectura: Harmonizing Memory, Tradition, and Contemporary Design

Teacher’s House, or Casa dos Profesores, designed by Arqxé arquitectura, is a sensitive residential project in Spain that intertwines memory, history, and modern architecture. Completed in 2022 and covering 2206 ft², this single-family home emerges as a narrative of reconstruction following the devastating explosion of May 23, 2018, seeking to restore both the physical site and the collective memory of its residents. Lead architects Jorge Enríquez Méndez and Adrián Pinaque Alvite approached the project with a focus on continuity, memory, and integration with the surrounding neo-rural landscape.

The original site consisted of a multi-volume house with varying heights and materials, connected through covered outdoor areas. Arqxé arquitectura’s intervention preserved the essence of these volumes, reinterpreting the three primary structures, the two houses and the cellar, by linking them through lower connecting elements that establish a dialogue between main and secondary spaces. This careful rearrangement fosters a functional and spatial hierarchy while respecting the historic roots of the property.

Stone walls from the original structure inspired the foundational design. Where preservation was not possible due to deterioration, clad masonry walls replaced the damaged sections to create a solid and continuous base. Above this, lightweight wooden volumes rise, achieving both verticality and visual lightness. The gabled roof structures are wrapped in a continuous wooden envelope, unifying the new volumes while emphasizing natural materials and simplicity. The cellar, slated for future resolution, retains the original stone base, honoring the house’s historical integrity.

Functionally, the design organizes spaces efficiently: lower flat volumes serve as connectors, supporting the primary rooms beneath the gabled roofs. The rocky terrain demanded selective excavation, leading to a two-story southern volume that houses the master bedroom and a multifunctional study and reading area that also functions as a viewpoint. Beneath this elevated space, two bedrooms connect directly to the garden, reinforcing a strong indoor-outdoor relationship.

Surrounded by recently rebuilt homes, farmland, and mature trees, Teacher’s House demonstrates a contemporary approach to rural architecture. It integrates traditional materials, such as stone and wood, into a modern context, creating a new architectural identity that bridges past and present. The project exemplifies how small-scale housing can evoke a sense of continuity, respect heritage, and reinterpret rural architecture through innovative yet timeless design.

All photographs are works of   Ivan Casal Nieto