Tendencies of new constructions in Sotogrande
Some of Sotogrande’s best plots have the oldest houses. These date from the days when Sotogrande’s villas were primarily summer homes. These houses were designed in the style of traditional Andalusian farmhouses. In contrast, most of the new villas in the lower area of Sotogrande are modern, they follow the trends mentioned below, and they are built to be lived in all year round.
What are the latest architectural trends?
Simplicity of design. Modern architecture tends to be free from accumulations and unnecessary items. Residential properties are often laid bare to show off the home’s architectural design: the space itself is brought to the fore – neither the décor nor the details are relevant to the overall design. The owners follow the modern aesthetics that believe firmly that “less is more”. Modern tastes enjoy simplicity and clarity. Homes are pure, functional and simple.
Kitchens are the main stage. Kitchens are getting bigger: what used to be hidden is now the epicentre of every home. The dining room has begun to disappear, becoming part of the kitchen. Large kitchens are the heart of a home where the family can gather in an attractive space. They are no longer a room built in the home’s darkest recesses. They have become the main stage. This trend will continue in the coming years.
Interiors and exteriors merge. Rooms merge with exteriors without worrying about having a marked distinction between the two. An inhabitable interior/exterior space can include anything, from a complete kitchen to furniture and a television. Exteriors used to be exclusively for gardens and terraces, but now they are used as open-air rooms. Advances in eco-friendly materials for outdoors have made it possible for architects to be more creative in their use of open-air spaces. Space is a valuable commodity, so it is logical that this trend will continue to grow.
Healthy design. After asbestos and lead paint caused health problems in homes built a long time ago, modern homes are designed to ensure healthy interiors. Using sustainable design and eco-friendly construction, homes can effectively eliminate harmful chemical products and gases.
Flexible rooms. Linked to the open design concept, homes increasingly include spaces with an undefined purpose. Modern architects design flexible rooms with the ability to be transformed easily into a new area without a complete overhaul or costly renovations.
Larger windows. Larger windows add beauty to a room by bringing in the outside. However, large windows are not just used for their appearance. They help to create a passive house, or in other words an energy-efficient home, which uses large windows with low-emission glass to reduce artificial lighting while keeping out the heat and harmful ultraviolet rays. A green mentality is increasingly being adopted with intelligent design for the home to achieve sustainable architecture, healthy interiors and high-specification habitable environments.
Passive houses. One of the most common trends in today’s architectural world is the change towards reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions, with an emphasis on environmentally friendly principles. Passive houses solve the problem of energy waste and carbon emissions. They can save up to 90 % on heating costs. Since much of the global energy consumption is by homes, if this trend was within everyone’s grasp the positive impact on the planet would be considerable.
I imagine that, as the world’s economic problems subside, governments will begin to offer subsidies and funding. This trend with a real impact when it comes to changing the world and our children’s futures for the better. Passive houses will be a strong trend in 2017, but mark my words, it will continue to grow year on year for the foreseeable future.
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??? Stephanie Noll
stephanie@noll-partners.com
