A home can mean many things: a secure refuge, a daily workspace, or simply a place to rest between journeys. Calders House, a thoughtful budget family residence by narch in Catalonia, Spain, reimagines domestic life by dissolving the boundary between interior and exterior. With restrained concrete volumes, expansive sliding glass, and a utilitarian metallic mesh, the design produces a striking contrast of textures while remaining deliberate and economical in material choices.
Rather than following the conventional program where garages and entrances occupy the lower level and living spaces sit above, Calders House reverses that hierarchy. The main living areas—open-plan living room, kitchen and dining—are located on the lower floor, directly engaging the landscape. Above, a compact studio, informal hangout areas and the garage create a quieter, more private zone. A simple but carefully designed staircase and a gentle ramp connect the two levels; mesh panels act as balustrades, providing both safety and visual permeability.
The material palette is intentionally straightforward: exposed concrete planes provide structural clarity and a neutral backdrop, while large sliding glass doors collapse the boundary to the outside, bathing interiors in natural light. A metallic mesh wrapping the upper level adds texture and a casual, almost agricultural character—evoking a farmhouse sensibility—without overwhelming the home’s minimalist interior. This combination keeps the architecture honest, functional and visually engaging.
Functionality is a priority. Positioning the social spaces on the ground level allows seamless access to the outdoor areas and garden, encouraging daily life to flow between inside and out. Sliding doors and lightweight curtains provide flexible control over privacy and openness: they can be fully retracted to unify interior and landscape or drawn to create intimate, shaded rooms. The upper level’s mesh enclosure preserves views while offering a degree of shelter and shading that helps regulate light and temperature in the warmer months.
Set against a rustic Catalan landscape, the house reads as a calm, contemporary intervention that complements its surroundings. Hard-edged concrete walls sit in contrast to the softness of the rural setting, while the open façades frame views and invite breezes. The overall effect is one of modest luxury: a clear structural idea executed with restraint and an emphasis on everyday comfort.
We wanted to create a continuity between the natural setting and the house. We wanted to bring the exterior in and become part of the interior, where the inside and outside were surprisingly continuous. We like the idea of designing a house with the feeling “Volkswagen camper van” being seen as a rolling symbol of independence and freedom, combining comfort, performance and style living with nature.
Every design decision supports the house’s intent: to offer straightforward, comfortable living that celebrates the outdoors. Ramps and gentle inclines not only ensure easy movement between levels but also create a relaxed sequence of spaces, where thresholds are softened and walls feel less like barriers and more like frames for the surrounding landscape.
Photography: Adrià Goula