romero & vallejo build contemporary house within historic city center of toledo, spain

situated on the southern slope of toledo’s town centre, in spain, the belvedere house by romero & vallejo integrates contemporary architecture into an area with an important historical tradition. amid steep winding streets lined with split-level houses, the mudéjar architectural gems, islamic art, roman ruins, and renaissance and baroque works, the project is designed to stand out, and create a powerful presence in the city. 

all images by ángel segura, juan carlos quindós

the house by romero & vallejo sits on a small plot of land and it is accessed from a steep winding street. upon entering the premises, there is a patio on the longitudinal side that allowed the architects to create a false façade offering impressive views of the surroundings and giving it optimum lighting and ventilation.

the front of the property takes advantage of the steep street, by generating two separate entrances. the first one is a front porch, located on the ground floor and has direct access to the patio. on this level, there is also a small apartment to accommodate guests. the second entrance is on the first floor of the building and is the most convenient entrance when returning from the city center. this floor includes the bedrooms, along with a small study.

from the first level, one can ascend to find an open-plan kitchen, dining and living room. the entire length of this room leads onto a loggia style terrace, offering a framed view of the countryside, while also protecting the interior from solar exposure. this terrace is the most distinctive feature of the property.

in terms of construction, the site was almost impossible to access. the archaeological remains had to be integrated into a foundation built, on a mixture of natural stone and man-made materials. the dividing walls were in bad condition and had begun to detach, so they had to be supported by the new building. in addition, there was water inside them at various intervals, which changed location depending on the season. all of these issues have been fixed and have become part of the overall project idea. 

main access to the belvedere house

‘on a technical level, despite its modest dimensions, it has been one of the most challenging projects that we have carried out’ romero & vallejo share. nevertheless, the belvedere house is designed with attention to detail and clever use of the materials available, providing an exemplary piece of contemporary, relaxed, and modest architecture.

the first porch – entrance at the front of the property

the house allows natural light to shine in through the staircase

the open-plan kitchen, dining and living room

the entire length of the room leads onto a terrace

the loggia style terrace

project info:

name: the belvedere house
architects: romero & vallejo
location: toledo, spain

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edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom