SMS arquitectos extends mallorca house with CNC-fabricated plywood system

SMS arquitectos has extended a ground-floor residence located in a street of townhouses in a quiet neighbourhood in palma, mallorca, with an additional level above. requiring a lightweight solution to not overload the original stone walls of the base structure, the project comprises an off-site prefabricated plywood system, manufactured with a CNC router, and combined with local materials by artisans of the island.

all images © luis díaz díaz

in the plywood house, SMS arquitectos has explored the possibilities of local manufacturing of plywood elements with a CNC router, in combination with a deep study on the crafts still alive in the island of mallorca. as a starting point, the architects have built an autonomous and de-contextualized base made of poplar plywood boards of 244×122 cm, elements of which they have combined into the construction of the additional level.

‘the structure gives us the opportunity to investigate and test a structural system that uses the language of its manufacturing process,’ the palma-based studio explains. ‘by combining the elements of this system, defined by the capabilities of the CNC cut, the system serves as a starting point and can be reproduced in other types of buildings.’

the CNC-fabricated structure is left a raw, bare and uncoated within the interior, while its varied, ornamental geometry give it a spatial, decorative rhythm. the lack of finishes reveal the structural geometry of the ceiling, linking it to arabesque ornamentation of the old town of palma, while other materials within the project, such as wood, stone, and terracotta, have all been left in their raw state.

besides the plywood base, the project explores and incorporates local materials created by the island’s artisans using different degrees of industrialization. ‘we focus our interest in companies like huguet, that manufacture concrete tiles for decades in mallorca, designing smooth and playful floor tiles on areas where needed,’ notes SMS arquitectos. ‘special terracotta tiles from miquel soler, a traditional manufacturer from felanitx, have been used on several parts of the façade and pool.’

the architectural intention behind the extension of the house was to create an atmospheric spatial variety with seasonal use depending on comfort, in which only bathrooms and the kitchen have a fixed use. various ‘atmospheric zones’ throughout the interior include: rooms with diffused light; with morning light; rooms facing north-east and facing south-west; rooms that look to an interior patio; or rooms with afternoon sun and views of the nearby castle. some spaces have thermal mass and are cooler in summer, while others with less thermal mass are to be easily heated in winter, allowing for seasonal migration inside the home.