Lover’s House in Mallorca by ISLA Architects.

ISLA Architects have breathed new life into an incomplete house located on a rustic island in Santa Maria, Mallorca. Sensual and warm, Lover’s house looks out to the Tramuntana mountain range in Spain, it’s terracotta pinky-red exterior bleeding into the dusty terrain.

Large openings frame the swimming pool and provide panoramic views of the surrounding vineyards and sheltering pine trees, tended to by the client for years. Its striking silhouette resembles Luis Barragán‘s distinct use of light and colour-blocked architecture, lending the design a simultaneously earthy and contemporary feel.

Briefed to create a home that would stand out in the local property market, ISLA Architects drew on the rich architectural heritage of Spain and the sun-drenched, relaxed lifestyle of Mallorca, to create this textured and warm romantic retreat.

Related: Courtyard House Reinvented: Can Jaime i n’ Isabelle in Palma, Mallorca by TedA Arquitectes.

Following a curved path to the entrance of the house, the facade appears largely closed – a nod to local Arab architecture. The rough, reddish mortar of the walls are punctured by openings of various sizes, both glazed and unglazed, encasing the bordering landscape and forming an overall abstract composition.

“This limited palette of materials reveals the simple geometry of the building and creates a visual and tactile continuity between the architecture and its surroundings. Monochrome and vibrant, the house changes hues during the day, reacting to the sun and land, revealing movement through shadows and changing material nuances,” explain the architects.

The peachy pink palette of the facade extends to the inside. Washbasins, showers, fireplace and benches all feature the familiar reddish tinted concrete that is offset by white, copper and natural wood tones.

Taking inspiration from Catalan architect Josep Antoni Coderch, the 541sqm layout is developed on several axes articulated along a series of walls arranged in a north-south direction.

A foyer that stretches the longitude of the building separates the bedrooms. The master bedroom opens south to a large patio complete with a tinted concrete bench. Two twin bedrooms, luxuriously opening to the garden, can also be found in the south wing, while a guest bedroom occupies the first volume of the house, complete with its own private patio.

Radiant views of the Alaró twin mountains can be seen from the living room – the widest bay in the house. The west wall has an exterior window cut into it, visually connecting the space to the pool outside while water reflections dance romantically on the beams of the ceiling. Flanked by large glass sliding doors on either side that can be opened to create cross ventilation in the summer.

The kitchen has been placed to the north, opening out onto its own patio, independent of the living space yet connected by an open fireplace.

The layout is a perfect balance of private and entertaining space. With flowing interiors and large open areas, the home spills out into the garden, the adjoining terraces and the swimming pool, acting like an extension of the natural landscape. The perfect backdrop for your own Vicky Christina Barcelona moment.

[Images courtesy of ISLA Architects. Photography by Luis Diaz Diaz.]