SAU taller's 'bellver más mateu' views catalan cadí mountain range

timber interiors enclosed by a stone facade

Located in Bellver de Cerdanya, Catalonia, the Bellver Más Mateu house by SAU Taller d’Arquitectura is positioned on a 470 square-meter plot near the town center. While the house benefits from nearby conveniences such as shops and restaurants, its strategic location also offers stunning views of the Cadí mountain range to the west and the Tossa to the east.

The project occupies one-third of the plot, maximizing the ground floor’s footprint to ensure the primary living areas are easily accessible. By making use of the plot’s natural slope, the basement level houses parking and a small spa, with minimal need for an access ramp. Most of the home’s main functions are organized on the ground floor, including the kitchen and dining area, which face southeast for optimal sunlight throughout the day. The living room, positioned to capture afternoon light, offers expansive views of the Cadí. This ground level further hosts a bedroom suite.

The upper floor, tucked beneath a pitched roof, includes a study, two bathrooms, and two bedrooms. This layout efficiently makes use of the attic-like space under the roof while maintaining the compact and functional design of the home.

images © Andres Flajszer

sau taller makes use of traditional materials

SAU Taller d’Arquitectura’s design for Bellver Más Mateu is characterized by a compact, solid form that recalls the archetypal mountain home. The architects make use of a simple, pitched slate roof and vertical openings, using traditional materials like Llívia stone and laminated fir wood to complement its natural surroundings.

A key feature of the project is the way the building volume is carved out at the southeast corner. This design move ensures natural light and ventilation for all rooms while creating a semi-exterior space. This outdoor area, created by the void, serves as a private extension of the garden, allowing the residents to enjoy the outdoors in a sheltered environment.

To maintain the compact, formal structure of the home and enhance the connection with the outdoors, the design incorporates vertical structural elements that act both as support and visual frames. These vertical supports create a sense of height and help conceal the openings when the house is viewed from an angle. This structural approach allows for the creation of large openings that visually connect the indoor spaces with the natural surroundings.

the house is located in Bellver de Cerdanya, near the town center with mountain views

bellver más mateu’s solid and lightweight structure

With the structure of its Bellver Más Mateu, SAU Taller integrates all load-bearing elements into the facade, enabling an open, flexible interior layout. To achieve this, the design employs a mixed construction system of wooden beams and a concrete compression layer. This system optimizes the load distribution and enables spans of 6.3 meters, allowing for the use of relatively slender beams that align with the vertical elements of the facade, creating a consistent and ordered aesthetic throughout the building.

In contrast to the compact exterior, the interior spaces of Bellver Más Mateu are designed to feel open and airy. Double-height spaces, diagonal sightlines, and small changes in floor level create a dynamic relationship with the irregular topography of the plot. These design elements contribute to the home’s adaptability and enhance its connection to the surrounding landscape, creating a harmonious balance between form, function, and the natural environment.

main living areas are efficiently organized on the ground floor