Luxury in white

Puerto Andratx is one of the most exclusive areas of Palma de Majorca, where quietly sumptuous villas blend into the landscape of wooded slopes descending rapidly towards the sea. One such example is Villa Pujol, an imposing yet genteel construction designed by Spanish architect Miguel Bouzas. It is a two-floor building that embraces different idioms and inspirations, its typically Mediterranean architectural details (the tiled roof, the hewn stone facings, the white plaster) contrasting with classical references inspired by the grand stately homes of the early twentieth century: large eaves, sculptural staircases with wrought iron banisters and large panoramic balconies.
Outside, the villa consists of a solid, compact ground floor volume, complete with stone clad sections, and a more articulated upper floor. Projecting sections and angled walls enliven the façade as if every room in the house were leaning out to capture as much light as possible.
A continuous balcony runs the entire length of the rear facade, creating a horizontal dividing line between the monolithic ground floor and the more dynamic first floor. Delimited by a wrought iron balustrade created by local artisans, the balcony overlooks the swimming pool and garden, to which it is connected by a curved, almost hanging stairway.
With this kind of exterior, one would expect extravagant interiors and furnishings with a strong decorative impact. Instead, the project embraces the philosophy of «less is more».
All the rooms are designed as single fluid monochromatic units that maximise the sensation of space. It is here that the real design criteria of natural lighting and the landscape come into play, on the basis of which the architect has rigorously designed voids, colours, details and materials. Even the lighting system, consisting of discreet light points set into the ceiling, enhances the purity of the volumes, almost surrendering to the predominance of the warm natural light. One powerful, visually striking detail that unites all the rooms is the use of large black frames around the windows and French windows. Each space thus captures a portion of the splendid surrounding landscape, as though freezing it in a living artwork hanging on the walls. Another major feature of the project is the use of a single material for all the floor coverings and for the bathroom walls. The chosen material is a typically Italian porcelain tile: the Marmi Italiani collection from Century in the colour Bianco Cadore. The choice of colour was almost obligatory given the project’s general focus on absolute white. The eco-marble solution combines the Mediterranean ceramic tradition with the timeless appeal of marble, while at the same time achieving the insulation characteristics needed in a hot climate like that of the Balearic Islands. The ceramic surface, consisting of large-format tiles (45×90 cm) with rectified edges, plays an active role in the process of spatial expansion and interaction with natural light. The ground surface, with its material texture and irregular sheen, captures the light and enhances the spaces with almost liquid reflections. This is particularly evident in the bathrooms, where the ceramic tiles cover the floor and extend seamlessly up the walls. Here too the approach is minimalist, almost ascetic, while sanitary fixtures with powerful geometries and the ubiquitous black-framed windows create a space with a strong sense of rigour.