In the village of Vilamacolum, Spain, architect Clara Crous designed her family home as a reflection of the natural and cultural rhythms of the Alt Empordà landscape. Conceived for self-construction, the house unfolds along the cycles of the land and local labor, linking agricultural time with architectural process. Timber-framed modules rise above seasonal water flow, their staggered volumes echoing the typology of traditional masias, while cork, adobe, lime, and handmade ceramics connect interior and exterior in material continuity. Project’s essence lies in the dialogue between human effort, natural cycles, and contemporary design — a home grown from the land itself.
Clara and her partner Carles acquired the last available plot on one of Vilamacolum streets — a triangular site framed by the agricultural landscape that has shaped the Alt Empodà region and Carles’s own roots in farming. Carles, who works in digital fabrication with wood and plastic, comes from a family of local farmers, granting him access to a range of machinery for handling large-scale materials. This context made it possible for Clara and her team to conceive the project from the very beginning with self-construction in mind, integrating design, technical resources, and construction timelines.
The build itself followed the rhythms of the land. Construction began at the end of the corn harvest, when local labor was available to actively participate in the project. What might have seemed a practical coincidence became a guiding principle, linking agricultural cycles with the pace of construction.
The house is structured around a light timber frame, prefabricated in the workshop to optimize time and effort. From this framework, Casa Al Pradet unfolds as a series of modules of varying shapes and heights, echoing the vernacular outbuildings traditionally added to Catalan manor houses as families grew.
Raised several feet above the ground due to its location in the lowest part of the village — where rainwater naturally flows toward a river below the site — the house is positioned to shield itself from the tramontana wind. Its staggered volumes respond to the triangular geometry of the plot and the fragmented layout of traditional country houses in the area (masias), blending naturally into the rural landscape.
Local and natural materials define the project: cork, lime mortar, adobe, hydraulic tiles, and handmade ceramics are used throughout floors, skirtings, exterior surfaces, and small architectural details. Inside, wood shapes both structure and furniture, creating a sense of continuity and warmth.
Casa Al Pradet shows how self-construction, contemporary techniques, and local traditions can coexist in a home that is both functional and rooted in its landscape. It is a residence built from within, reflecting the essence of Mediterranean life in every detail.
Photography by Montse Capdevila.
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