Nico Heinz, architect: “We would have to return to wooden structures to lighten the roof”

“We believe in contemporary and modern architecture that responds to the conditions of the place and its time.” This is how it is definedarchitecture and design studio SH Asociados located in Granada. Today we spoke with one of its founding partners,the architect Nico Heinz, which details the extension of a home in Alquife in which thesandwich panels THERMOCHIP® PLASTER (TYH), formed by a water-repellent chipboard, an insulating core of extruded polystyrene and a plasterboard on the inside.

What does the architectural project of this home in Alquife consist of?The Alquife project consisted of a small extension to the home of an English retired couple. The house is located in the area of ​​Cerro de Alquife, which is quite degraded and thanks to people like Mr. and Mrs. D’Auray, it is recovering little by little.

Regarding the existing home and the extension: the operation has consisted of a return to the origins. When the D’Aurays bought the house years ago, they carried out a careful rehabilitation. In the back they converted an old stable into a patio with a fountain. But over time they realized they needed more living room/lounge space. And they decided to call us. The extension was a natural step and therefore consisted of covering the patio again, turning it into a large living room connected to the dining room – kitchen of the house.

The resulting space allows them to have different “zones” within the room due to its predominantly elongated proportion.

As in all our projects we try to incorporate a contemporary imprint without forgetting the construction tradition of the area and the coexistence with existing elements.

Constructively, we chose to cover the space with laminated wood beams with THERMOCHIP® panel with a plasterboard finish, vapor barrier, plate under tile and mixed tile, thus achieving a quick, clean and efficient execution. On the floor, an insulating panel was incorporated under the concrete slab and finished with a solid wooden platform. The masonry walls were coated with a buffer chamber and thermal insulation was incorporated to improve the overall insulation of the extension.

The philosophy of SH Asociados is “efficiency in the project, in construction and in facilities so that it leads us to functional and economic efficiency”. Is achieving efficiency the main priority for any project today?

For us, efficiency is basic, especially in projects. What is well defined in plans, memory and measurement then has much less chance of failing on site or surprising due to its extra cost.

Good architectural design has to integrate spatial richness and beauty – the final result – with the construction, structural elements and facilities. If any of these elements fail or interfere, it is because the whole was not well thought out.

Why did they chooseTHERMOCHIP® sandwich panels to install on the deck? Did you already know them or was it the first time you used them?

We have known THERMOCHIP® panels for quite some time and we have been able to use them on several occasions, mostly rehabilitations. In current construction there is an excessive tendency towards integral reinforced concrete structures, but we should return more to wooden or mixed structures to lighten the pitched roof solutions. There the THERMOCHIP® panels are ideal as they integrate the covering support board and insulation into a single product. It is also an ideal product for renovations and interventions such as our home extension in Alquife.

What natural products do you use in your projects?

Depends. Each project asks us for different solutions: sometimes we use more technological solutions and other more natural solutions depending on the needs and tastes of the client and the integration with the environment.

How do you balance the client’s personal taste and commercial values?As we develop the project, its materialization emerges and this is inevitably linked to specific solutions from different manufacturers. With our clients we contrast the project solutions with the corresponding materials until the desired result is achieved. In this process it is vital to be able to assess the quality-price ratio of each solution. In the end, experience tells us that good material sells itself.

Images courtesy ofSH Associates. More information aboutTHERMOCHIP® on our website.