A New Kind of Cortijo

The scents of nature and the sound of running water: UDesign takes an ageless Andalucian design into the 21st century with the magnificent Villa Andaluz.

A cortijo is described in the dictionary as a traditional rural dwelling in Southern Spain, which has its origins in ancient Roman villas, often an isolated structure associated with a large family or livestock in the vast and empty adjoining lands. And a small chapel. 

So far so good. We’d all love to live in a cortijo with a small chapel, and some of us might even welcome the large family and livestock… 

But it’s the design of the traditional Spanish cortijo itself that interests us, and this is a masterpiece of architectural concept, with its open courtyard being the architectural and social hub of the structure surrounding it. And the concept went right back to Roman times. The Moors improved on it, mainly with the introduction of water, both flowing and still, as a key design element rather than a basic necessity. From flowing water came beautiful gardens, and thus we have the classic cortijo that we know today. 

The aim of the UDesign architects was not to simply copy this elegant design that has developed over many centuries, but make the best use of its most outstanding features to create a luxurious contemporary Mediterranean home. The challenge was to achieve a perfect balance between the old and the new, between tradition and technology, between the natural and the manmade, in a stunning work of architecture that would be defined by open spaces inside, allowing the air to flow, and flowing water both inside and out, making use of the soothing sounds of nature to enhance its visual beauty, scents and textures. Their aim was to take an architectural design perfect for the land it sits on and improve it, which is exactly what they did.

We spoke to Jason Harris, CEO and Creative Director of UDesign about different aspects of this magnificent new kind of cortijo. 

“It’s very much about nature,” he said in reference to the courtyard, although his words apply equally and by extension to the entire property. “The citrus trees, for example, are very important because not only do they define the courtyard as a natural space, especially illuminated at night when nature tends to be closed off, but you can pick the lemons and use them in your gin and tonic or cooking in the kitchen. The water is very important too, in its sounds and the cooling effect it has on the villa as a whole. And it looks great. The floor is stone, the cladding on the walls is wood, and with the trees, water and plants working together in a timeless way, you have a beautiful natural space that will never date.” 

In fact, the photographs are almost enough to tell the whole story. Architectural symmetry is the ideal counterpoint to nature in the raw, and here we can see how this perfect symmetry, best observed from any central point of view, is balanced by asymmetrical elements within the architecture, by varying tones and textures, and by differing heights and shapes in the furniture, trees and plants. In short, the symmetry is horizontal and the asymmetry is vertical. The result is sublime.

The view over the courtyard is an excellent example of this symmetrical perfection, recalling the formal beauty of the Alhambra Palace gardens, where symmetry creates an understated masterpiece of patio architecture. With white travertine marble and Moorish doorways on each side, this is indeed an outdoor living area reaching into the heart of the house itself, all cooled by clever design and the sound of flowing water. 

“Most designs of this kind don’t take seating into account, at least not enough,” says Jason. “The temptation is then to walk past, as if the patio were a transient area, on the way to somewhere else. We placed stone seating around the decorative pond, with cushions to invite people to sit and enjoy its cooling effect on the warm summer days. They’re slighted elevated and illuminated from beneath in such a way that they appear to float, especially at night. As beautiful as many contemporary homes are these days, they often lack the intimacy we all need, so we have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that one feels at home and completely comfortable in all parts of this villa and its courtyard. Good design is not about scale, but about intimacy and character and how it makes you feel. It brings nature into the heart of the home in a very structured way.”

Quite apart from the wonderful views over the sea, mountains and surrounding countryside, all the rooms in the villa, from bedrooms to interior living spaces, also look out on the courtyard, which becomes the hub of the entire villa. And at night, the courtyard is illuminated to show nature at its most magical. 

“The garden is very beautiful, what you might expect in a very expensive hotel. For me there is no difference between the inside and outside. The same architectural criteria needed for a perfect interior are also needed for the exterior, even in the layout of the garden. A good designer is like a good chef: he understands his materials and knows how to use them. He knows about taste and texture, colours and even the shape of things. And I’ve assembled all these elements in the garden in the same way that I assembled the architectural elements in the building itself.”

The concept of the cortijo goes back to Roman times, and there is a classical Roman quality to this villa that has, perhaps, been lost over time to the more Andalucian design elements of the traditional cortijo. This new cortijo, with no superfluous decoration and with its minimalist design exposing more of the basic structure of the building, shows us how the wealthy Romans really lived, and they lived really well. Perfection, just like the great city of the Romans, is eternal.

Villa Andaluz: Architecture and Interior Design by UDesign: https://www.udesign.es/

UDesign are an award-winning architecture and interior design company established in Marbella since 2008. You can visit their showroom in the San Pedro industrial estate Monday to Friday 10am-7pm. P.I. San Pedro, C/Países Bajos 6, San Pedro de Alcántara (Marbella) Spain Tel :(+34) 952 794 117