Places — 22 August 2024 — 8 min
Inside Casa Vela
A behind-the-scenes look at the material decisions, local craftspeople, and light studies that shaped our Mallorca residence.
By Daniel Hart
Casa Vela began with a site visit in January, when the Mediterranean light is thin and the landscape feels stripped to essentials. We walked the cliff edge at dusk and understood immediately: the house had to defer to the horizon.
The courtyard as lung
The central courtyard was not in the initial brief. It emerged from climate analysis — a way to draw cool air through the house during summer months while providing a sheltered outdoor room in winter.
Local masons hand-cut every piece of exterior limestone. The process took eleven weeks. We would not have done it differently.