Malpesa Dry Press Bricks – Murcia

We thought it would be worth sharing a few facts around the recent build in Murcia.  The building is truly unique.  It uses Malpesa’s unique Triana dry press bricks for the majority of the facade with some smaller sectors using other Malpesa products.  The dry press bricks are laid with a mortarless look joint of 3mm – 4mm.  This has enabled the architects to achieve an incredibly clean looking building yet with the traditional benefits of a brick building.

The shape of the building is influenced by the orientation and steep slope on which it sits.  To manage the slope, the building is developed over four terraces which follow the slope of the existing hillside.  The orientation is westward which does provide great views yet at the same time means the building requires additional protection from the sun.  This is the reason for protecting the openings with brise-soliel and overhangs which are a significant part of the composition.

Access to the building is provided through a large entrance hall intended to evoke the feelings of an old stately home where doors and windows of various rooms open haphazardly onto the entrance.  This space – a complex intermediate area between the interior and exterior – provides a beautiful half light which conjures an other worldly feeling for guests.

The large tower contains the nerve-centre of the house  in a very aesthetic manner.  Solar panels, aerials, air conditioning units and a lift are all contained in this shaft.  The double brick insulates the noise from the rest of the house and there are absolutely no eye-sores created.

The house is organised in such a way that almost every floor is quite self contained.  The parents retreat, dressing room, bathroom sits atop the building. Large terraces surround each level and are covered by overhangs so that a comfortable exterior space can always be accessed easily and quickly regardless of the time of day or the season.