CasaKubrick

Geometry in the Pines near Barcelona and Manresa

A statement home immersed in the hills and pines of inland Catalonia, this geometric showplace is a Spanish rationalist marvel built between 1969 and 1975. A timeless example of the avant-garde architectural movement that took hold firmly in Spain’s Catalan region in the 1950s, the property is characterized by mathematically-driven mid-century modern design features.

The striking villa showcases a calculated checkerboard of wood ceiling panels over salons; giant cathedral windows framing an interior courtyard art garden; split-level living areas clad in an abundance of wood, stone and glass; free-flowing fireplaces as focal points, striking floating staircases, and a retro sunken den. The house sleeps 10 guests, and rooms and suites travel back in time with wood paneling and patterned wallpaper punctuated by strikingly lavish marble and tile bathrooms. The late mid-century modern kitchen is designed around a central island, its walls covered in attention-grabbing vintage wall tiles. And the tiled office and laundry room both echo earlier days, featuring a retro style that might best be described as commercial modern.

Outdoors, stone and wood clad the property, breaking up the design’s abundant glass picture windows. The bold roof line angles and juts sharply over the multistory structure, and a bird's eye view reveals the home’s rational geometric placement on its wild, rocky and wooded lot. There’s a circular swimming pool in the garden, as well as outdoor sculptures, a fountain, alfresco seating areas, multiple terraces, and a tennis court punctuated by basketball goals.

Around

Located near El Moianés, a small Catalonian region that’s capital is Moià, the property is set in a rugged natural area surrounded by woods with easy access to cities such as Barcelona, Vic and Manresa. Pine and oak forests cloak the mountainous landscape, and the region boasts geological and heritage attractions as well. In the village of Santa Maria d’Oló, a 1920s era factory has been transformed into the Espai Hemalosa, an eco museum and auditorium for concerts and theatrical productions. The town’s old streets are built into a hillside near the castle, tower and 16th-century church. The tiny town of Rafael Casanova dates from the 13th century, with edifices from the 17th and 18th centuries as well.

The region's capital, Moià, is a small town of some 6,000 inhabitants. Its Plaça Major is crossed by 13-century bridges, and there’s an Archeological and Paleontological Museum in town that discusses the Coves del Toll, caves found outside of town. A visit to the caves offers a 180m descent into the local bedrock/mountain. The easily accessed city of Manresa covers a rocky plain near the Llobregat and Cardener rivers. Dating from pre-Roman times, the town's moniker is the “inland capital of Catalonia.” An industrial city, its history is visible in its hilltop Cathedral La Seu, a great example of Catalan Gothic architecture, a stunning bridge over the Cardener River, and its Cova de Sant Ignasi, or "Holy Cave" where Jesuit Saint Igantius Loyola wrote his famed “Spiritual Exercises.” During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Holy Cave was transformed into a chapel, and a Baroque church and convent were added later.

Lovers of modernist architecture will appreciate the buildings located around Manresa’s Passeig de Pere III, including the Casino (1906), the Torre Lluvià (1908), and the Teatre Kursaal (1927). Other notable buildings include the Casa Torrents, dating from 1905 and the Torre Jorba, a unique Art Deco tower.

Location

Nearest airport: Barcelona (50 miles)

Best time to visit

April to November