Category: Architecture
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The Water Architecture of Ibiza
Cisterns, Wells and the Intelligence of a Dry Island Until the mid-20th century, Ibiza was a poor, predominantly agricultural island. In a climate characterised by long, hot and dry summers, access to fresh water could determine the harvest, people’s well-being and, in many cases, their very survival. Long before sustainability became a buzzword in design,…
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Designing Wellbeing (II): How UX Principles Can Shape Better Living Spaces
Houses are a product of design, just like places in the digital world, because they determine how we move, feel, and function every day. Just as UX (User Experience) focuses on making experiences intuitive and satisfying in the digital world, UX applied to architecture and interiors can improve spaces to suit our lives in the…
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Designing Wellbeing: The Connection between Psychology and Architecture
The relationship between psychology and architecture has become more relevant recently, in the last two or three decades. It is estimated that we spend on average 80 to 90% of our time indoors, including activities at home, at work, in schools and other indoor environments. The study that addresses this question is psychological architecture or…
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The Ibicencan Garden (I). A Brief History & Botanic Guide
The garden and wild flora that we know today on the island has been largely the result of the different cultures that settled in the Pitiusas throughout history. The ships brought seeds and plants from distant lands that were used for the cultivation. Not all seeds germinated equally in the island’s clayey, calcareous soil, nor…
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Traditional vs. Contemporary Architecture. The Energy Challenge
Vernacular architecture has evolved over many years to address the inherent problems of housing. Through a process of trial and error, populations have found over the centuries ways to deal with the extremes of climate. However, the influence of Western culture is omnipresent and the tendency to an internationalized construction style has resulted in a…
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The Ibicencan Finca. A Guide to the Traditional Home of Ibiza
The traditional rural house of Ibiza, also known as Ibizan finca, has been an object of study and fascination by many important people of several fields over time. What these first visitors found was an architecture that had hardly changed over the centuries, dated back to ancient origins. This was mainly because Ibiza, during most…
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Minimalist Architecture in Ibiza. Roots & Trends
When we talk about of Spanish architecture, we often think of gilded stuccos, intricate arches, colorful tiles or open courtyards with ornamental balustrades. However, Ibiza is a world unto itself. The hallmark of the new Ibizan style is elegant, white and minimalist. And, as we will see next, these aspects aren’t only the product of…