Using technology wisely

“The proper use of science is not to conquer nature but to live in.”

Barry Commoner.

It is a connected house; every detail has been valued under the eye of innovation. We have used the latest energy systems. We can remotely control the installations...

But there has been a great challenge in this process, not to become intoxicated with technology, and we have used the greatest of advances: common sense.

Thinking about the future needs of the inhabitants of Císcar 4 implies thinking about technology that is still being born as something that, in a few years’ time, will be commonplace. But this is not always the case; technological improvements are not always maintained over time. Reflecting on each innovation and its impact on people’s daily lives has been one of the most difficult and stimulating things about this project.

Knowing from anywhere in the world who is knocking at the door and being able to answer it easily or control the lighting, air conditioning and blinds in the home, is possible from a mobile device, from anywhere in the house or in the world.

With 21st century technology and the skill of the most expert hands, we have made comfortable homes that will last at least a hundred years longer.

Protected by its antiquity and architectural beauty, the building at Císcar 4, has undergone a total reconstruction:

FROM ITS FOUNDATIONS TO ITS ROOF.

As if it were a puzzle, the stone pieces of the lobby floor, of the staircase, the marble pieces of the bathrooms, the ceramic pieces of the balconies and all the cladding, have been designed and cut - to measure - piece by piece, so that they fit harmoniously and convey the balance of beautiful things, made with great affection.

The foundations are new throughout the building: the entire first floor has been excavated to 1.50 m (4.92ft); larger footings have been built at the base of the pillars: an entire slab with reinforced concrete, creating a solid, compact and stable block; the original pillars, which have not been replaced by new ones, have been reinforced with iron; the perimeter loadbearing walls have been insulated from the ground to prevent damp.

The result is a compact, solid and isolated structure.

With good principles.

The welcome of the hallway

One of the main objectives has been comfort and we have been looking for it from the moment the first door opens. The entrance to the building is spacious and provides a warm welcome.

With the exception of the stairwell and themain façade, all floors, the rear façade and the light courtyards have been demolished and rebuilt.

The main façade was completely renovated - maintaining its original design - and protected with special insulating paint. The rear façade and light courtyards are new construction, equipped with 50mm (2 in) insulating cladding (SATE - external thermal insulation-), which envelops the entire building protecting it from the inclement weather outside.

A new structure.

The height between floors is well over 3 meters (10ft), with a slightly lower clear height. The interior doors, inside each property, cover the entire available height (290 cm – 9.5ft) from floor to ceiling.

Centenary but new.

A work of craftsmanship

Before choosing the exterior carpentry, the factory of the German company Schüco in Bielefeld was visited to choose the model and technology best suited to the city of Valencia.

The main access doors to each property are the original 1920’s doors that have been restored and reinforced. Not only are they armored security doors, they are also equipped with automatic locks, which -when closing the door- operate three pins, without the need to turn the key.

Access to the home is achieved through different systems: keys with limited or full access to each room, numeric keypad, fingerprint and remote control by mobile phone. Each home has an intuitive and easy-to-use system to control the environment: lights, blinds, music and surveillance cameras.

Indeed, very easy to use!

Each door and window of the building has a perimeter iron frame - 8 cm by 8 cm - welded to the upper and lower slabs, so that the structure on which the doors and windows are fixedaluminum or wood - is so solid and resistant that it is impossible for cracks to appear as a result of unintentional slamming.

The doors and windows of the main façade have an aluminum structure, with two 6 mm (0.24 in) thick panes on the outside, glued with a resin that protects them against accidental breakage; then, a 12 mm (0.47 in) chamber with argon gas - to prevent temperature exchange with the out- side - and a 4 mm (0.16 in) glass separator; then, another 12 mm (0.47 in) argon gas chamber and, inside the house, two 4 mm (0.16 in) thick panes, glued with a resin that protects them against accidental breakage. In total, almost 5 cm (2 in) of separation between the exterior and the interior of the house.

All closets are illuminated inside. The master bedroom has 20 closet doors.

The bedroom windows have electric blinds that are easily operated to allow for different light gradations.

Thanks to this technology, all doors and windows can be opened and closed with one hand, even with one finger.

The joinery meets the highest standards of strength, safety and insulation, while maintaining an aesthetic and elegant design.

All this insulation in façades and windows and the other installations that will be discussed later, have resulted in obtaining the highest energy rating.

Not surprisingly, it is the highest in the city of Valencia.

Maximum efficiency and energy savings

Underfloor heating: The wooden floor is specially designed for the proper functioning of underfloor heating.

It has a natural wood section that allows it to be slashed for many years.

Utmost respect for the environment

Hot/cold air conditioning with invisible air outlet and return air grilles installed in each room.

The heating and air conditioning equipment has been removed from the interior of the homes -to avoid the inconvenience of visits by maintenance technicians- and placed on the mezzanine floor of the building.

Access is controlled by security cameras and individual codes via keypads or fingerprint.

No noise

Quality is that the downpipes are not heard, that the thermal and acoustic insulation of each space is the necessary, that the houses are designed to enjoy the greatest comfort at the lowest energy cost.

Each floor is insulated - above and below - by incorporating different layers of noise and vibration insulating materials.

The water pipes have been insulated to the point of completely eliminating any noise: the flushing of a toilet or a neighbor’s shower on any upper or lower floor has been soundproofed by means of an insulation system consisting of the manual application of multiple layers of insulating material - of different densities - in all the water pipes.

For example, the use of a home cinema system with speakers running at full power is imperceptible to neighbors. Similarly, normal noises caused by dragging furniture, shoe heels, slamming doors, etc., are completely eliminated by the insulation between floors .

A flexible layout

The spectacular kitchen can be easily isolated from the living room by means of glass that changes from transparent to opaque at the push of a button.

There are six rooms - the three bedrooms, the living room, the kitchen and the study or office next to the foyer - all equipped with independent underfloor heating systems, air conditioning, SONOS home sound system, Internet and fiber optic outlets, with HDMI and RJ45 connections.

All rooms have the connections to place, if desired, a television with its articulated metal arm. If a TV is not desired in the bedroom, the space provided for it can be converted into an additional closet.