A contemporary of Mies Van Der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier, Galician architect Andrés Fernández-Albalat was inspired by the greats, yet his particular brand of modernism is unique to the region he grew up, worked and lived in.

Located in the northwest part of Spain, Galicia is a land blessed with breathtaking coastal views. It’s here, on a hilltop surrounded not just by vistas of the Atlantic Ocean, but also birch, oak and chestnut trees, that Fernández-Albalat chose to build his private home.

casa albalat resides in the northwest corner of spain, a region famous for its rugged coastlines and rolling green hills in the 1970s, when the home was built, architectural expression in galicia and other parts of spain was hindered under the francoist dictatorshipthe late architect andres albalat resisted the status quo by designing what was, at the time, a very rare piece of architecture andres’ resolve certainly garnered attention then fast forward 40 years, and his creation is a symbol of the modernist movement and its lasting effects on the design world
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casa albalat resides in the northwest corner of spain, a region famous for its rugged coastlines and rolling green hills in the 1970s, when the home was built, architectural expression in galicia and other parts of spain was hindered under the francoist dictatorshipthe late architect andres albalat resisted the status quo by designing what was, at the time, a very rare piece of architecture andres’ resolve certainly garnered attention then fast forward 40 years, and his creation is a symbol of the modernist movement and its lasting effects on the design world
Pablo Veiga

The architect sadly passed away in 2019, but this most personal of projects has found new custodians: a couple of fashion entrepreneurs and their two young daughters, who appreciate this building’s unique appeal. ‘What people in fashion value most is the details, and this house is full of details,’ they tell us.

There’s its distinctly sloping form, a feature that allows the maximum amount of sunlight into the space through the abundance of windows (an architectural flourish typical of nearby La Coruña – often known as the City of Glass – where Fernández-Albalat was prolific). And there are the material choices that show the late architect’s two sides – zinc and Galician stone on the exterior, with a more Nordic-influenced mix of timber and white walls inside.

casa albalat resides in the northwest corner of spain, a region famous for its rugged coastlines and rolling green hills in the 1970s, when the home was built, architectural expression in galicia and other parts of spain was hindered under the francoist dictatorshipthe late architect andres albalat resisted the status quo by designing what was, at the time, a very rare piece of architecture andres’ resolve certainly garnered attention then fast forward 40 years, and his creation is a symbol of the modernist movement and its lasting effects on the design world
Pablo Veiga
casa albalat resides in the northwest corner of spain, a region famous for its rugged coastlines and rolling green hills in the 1970s, when the home was built, architectural expression in galicia and other parts of spain was hindered under the francoist dictatorshipthe late architect andres albalat resisted the status quo by designing what was, at the time, a very rare piece of architecture andres’ resolve certainly garnered attention then fast forward 40 years, and his creation is a symbol of the modernist movement and its lasting effects on the design world
Pablo Veiga

Little has changed since Fernández-Albalat lived here, with all of the pieces he had custom-made for this space, from the yellow-framed seating in the sun room to the wooden dining table, still occupying the same positions.

casa albalat resides in the northwest corner of spain, a region famous for its rugged coastlines and rolling green hills in the 1970s, when the home was built, architectural expression in galicia and other parts of spain was hindered under the francoist dictatorshipthe late architect andres albalat resisted the status quo by designing what was, at the time, a very rare piece of architecture andres’ resolve certainly garnered attention then fast forward 40 years, and his creation is a symbol of the modernist movement and its lasting effects on the design world
Pablo Veiga

What has been added, however, is very much in keeping with the spirit of this home. From the ‘DS106’ dining chairs by Giancarlo Peretti for Castelli to the large ‘Akari’ pendant lights by Isamu Noguchi for Vitra, the new additions seem thoroughly at peace with their surroundings. ‘There are no other houses like this in Galicia,’ say this home’s new owners. ‘It has been like finding a jewel’ – one that is to be treasured for even more generations to come.