JENS

Pool House Sant Aniol de Finestres

Masía JENS Farmhouse

(Agro-Deluxe)

Project: JENS Pool House, a 130sqm loft-like space in Sant Aniol de Finestres, Girona. Pool and garden area included as part of project.

The challenge here was to create a modern space still respecting the traditional architectural language from the area, mainly old farmhouses known in Catalonia as "masías".

Fun fact, after experiencing the new space provided by us, clients decided to move into the new pool house and leave the main house. I would call this success ;-))

AGRO-DELUXE_____________

JENS Farm&Pool House is one of the most challenging orders taken by our office. Work commissioned was a pool area at a luxury masia farmhouse in Girona. It should feature an apartment that could become owner´s self summertime house if wished so.

Council´s regulations on building matters would define the sort of materials to be used on the outside: local stone, old tiles on the roof…. The new volume built has a combination of straight lines and organic shapes, with a large ratio curved corner at the back that showing the entrance to complex. Pool house was designed as a one-only space of around 130 sqm. It would feature a 16 meter long window overlooking the pool and the breathtaking valley views behind it.

Apart from the usual design and program condition, there was a very difficult request from the client that needed to be achieved: the whole complex should be energy and supply self supporting and eco-friendly.

A massive engineering infrastructure runs underneath the ground where the complex sits upon, an inmense network of pipes and wires gathering rain water, taking it to vessels where it will be purified, geothermal systems warming pool and domestic use water up, wiring power from the solar panel and battery system…. ancient farmhouse wouldn´t escape our hands either.

Outside facades were totally refurbished, and an old barn, only part of the building remaining without works from the previous owner, was turned into a three bedroom guest apartment.

Clients have recently decided to move permanently to the pool house and leave the old masia as a guests house. That decision fills me with pride. It´s a prize to a well done job.

They proved to have an unbeatable will to carry this project out. Both showed a priceless patience when sometimes things seemed to turn up just too difficult to go ahead. Without their skills to cope with the expected and the unexpected, this project would have never come true. My gratitude to both of them from me.