VILLAS FINCA LA MONJA LORCA, SPAIN

United Momentum Group

In our eyes, a house should be more than just a home where you can live and sleep.

A house should firstly increase joy of living and respond to the inhabitant’s need for

pure, healthy and mindful living. On top of that, there should be a balance between

natural surroundings and the property, created by harmony between interior spaces,

architecture and nature around the building.

We strive to develop sustainable real estate projects that generate social revenue

(People), ecological revenue (Planet) and economic revenue (Profit).

Finca La Monja, Lorca SpainIn line with the company’s vision, UMGroup is developing 21 villas

in Finca La Monja, Murcia in the southeast of Spain. The total area

of the plot equals 46 hectares and is split into 21 plots of about two

hectares each. Each plot may hold a detached villa with a maximum

floor area of 300 square metres. The borders of the plots are set.

One is free to place the villa on any chosen spot within the plot,

taking into account factors such as soil quality, accessibility, view

and position towards the sun.

Paths within the project guide you along forests, almond groves

and the smell of rosemary. The area is quite hilly and offers various

views over the valley and miles of unspoiled nature and mountains.

Finca La Monja borders a nature reserve that is ideal for hiking,

biking and horseback riding.

Finca La Monja, Lorca Spain

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ComfortDuring the design phase of the villas, we look primarily for natu-

ral methods to regulate a good living environment in and around

the property. This often means implementing principles of tradi-

tional architecture that have proved themselves in the course of

centuries. Our designs focus on interaction with immediate sur-

roundings—the villas promote outside living. Implementation of

installation techniques, for example, an air conditioning installa-

tion, requires a house to remain hermetically closed. This is one of

the reasons why we avoid using such techniques. Another reason

is the unnatural sound that is often produced by these types of

installations. On the other hand, we’re not against using modern

techniques; they will certainly be applied in the form of under floor

heating or remotely controlled systems, for example a remote con-

trol for regulating temperatures.

Some of our natural methods for maintaining comfort in our villas

are:

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1) During the summer season, a typical day in Murcia is usually

pretty warm while the temperature drops considerably at night.

This difference in temperature can be used to our advantage. By

placing thick, heavy walls and floors, we slow down the absorption

and release of warmth. The walls and floor radiate their accumu-

lated warmth at night, while they supply coolness to the house dur-

ing the day. Therefore, the indoor temperature remains pleasant;

2) The existing wall of rock will also add to the regulation of cool-

ness and warmth. One side of the Path House is embedded in a

steep hill, while the Flower House is actually partially dug into the

rocks;

3) Light coloured materials facilitate reflection of sunlight, causing

solar radiation to be reflected during daytime.

Our villas will be built using local natural stone and matching light

sand-coloured concrete. Floors and roofs will be covered with tiles

or be plastered with cement of the same colour;

4) Solar panels will be placed on flat roofs and used for heating

water;

5) Crossed floors create covered terraces in the shade. The Terrace

House’s design is largely based on this principle. At the same time,

these crossed floors form a natural sun block for the glass panels

on the south and west sides;

6) Existing flora and new plants and trees help shade the building

and reduce unwanted heat gain. The Terrace House’s bedrooms of-

fer views over a green ‘oasis’;

7) The villas are situated against the hillside in such a manner that

they optimally utilize natural, cooling breezes. By opening venti-

lation shafts and skylights, cross-house ventilation is facilitated.

Houses will be cooled in this way during summers;

8) A system of water pipes will be embedded in the floor’s top layer.

Warm or cold water will generate pleasant warming or cooling re-

spectively;

9) Evaporation of water from shallow ponds in the Flower House’s

patio provides natural cooling.

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Development in conjunction with natural surroundingsWithin our concept of sustainable and future-proof design, we

put all our effort into sparing the natural surroundings. Our

aim is not to deteriorate, but to empower the landscape sur-

rounding our projects. A villa’s design and choice of materials

ensures it blends in perfectly with the surrounding landscape.

Obviously, existing flora and fauna are highly respected. The

current almond groves are one of the area’s landmarks and

will be preserved in our plan. Like the villas, the roads and

paths are laid out in such a fashion that they put a minimal

burden on existing landscape, ensuring optimal possibilities

to enjoy natural beauty. People are not solitary beings; they

always belong to a community. This is an aspect of sustain-

able housing that receives appropriate attention during the

developmental stage. The villas are not just laid out as indi-

vidual properties with a maximum of privacy; they are also

part of a bigger entity.

Unique sculptures in the landscapeThe landscape is very varied: from very steep hills to flat

parts, with different orientations; from open to covered with

dense vegetation. Each building location has its own charac-

ter. Therefore, each villa will be unique and specially tailored

to the qualities that can be found on that specific location.

Good views and maximum privacy are particularly taken into

account. The villas will be out of each other’s field of vision

where possible.

A design system with a specific number of technical solutions

is being developed in which twenty-one unique villas can be

realized. The atmosphere is authentic: modern architecture

that is inspired by local traditions and materials and which

uses traditional methods to keep the house cool in summer.

We’ll use a limited number of materials; primarily heavy walls

and floors made from local stone and sand-colored concrete

combined with glass sliding façades. The villas will differ in

organization, while the materials and character remain the

same. We create an image of unique sculptures in the land-

scape.

When designing our villas, we take into account the ideal posi-

tioning of living spaces: bedrooms out of direct sunlight, living

rooms with views over the landscape, and terraces located to

catch the evening sunlight from the west. The three villas are

also designed so as to be inhabited by different people at the

same time. Each villa has a large bedroom with its own bath-

room, connected to a studio-like space, which can be closed

off from the rest of the house by a sliding door. This enables

flexible usage of the villa, for instance when guests are stay-

ing over or in the event of renting out the house.

The specific design of each villa is linked to several outdoor

spaces. Every villa has an 80 cm deep cocktail pool, bordered

by an edge with seats. Furthermore, the terraces are laid out

with sunken sitting areas, suitable for arranging as barbeque

spots. Both the bath and the sunken sitting area offer fantas-

tic views over the landscape.

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The Terrace House is designed for moderately sloping sites. The villa has a southwest

orientation. You’ll find two floors with very different qualities. The top floor comprises

individual bedrooms turned away from the sun, orientated to an oasis of trees on the north side

of the villa. Boulders from the site will be used to create a semi-transparent façade on the south

side. Behind this façade you’ll find frosted-glass sliding panels which can be opened for fresh air

or for viewing the valley. The top floor creates the shade for the ground floor, a ‘cave’ and terrace

at the same time. Here you’ll find communal spaces such as the living room and studio, situated

on the side with views. Sunlight enters dark spaces on the ground floor through skylights that face

the ‘oasis garden’. The near story-high sliding glass panels blur the boundaries between inside and

outside.

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The Flower House type, situated on top of the hill, is suitable for a relatively flat plot and offers a wide

view. The villa almost literally digs itself through the top of the hill; its seven wings are partially cut out

of the rock. In this way, the cooling surface of the rock is optimally used. A central living space connects

all wings. U can enter the villa through one of the wings -which is actually more of a patio- , it is more

than suitable to use as a terrace during winter. Three of the seven wings face inwards and contain the

bedrooms; each of them annexed to shaded little patios with shallow ponds. The remaining three wings

offer beautiful views over the surrounding landscape, each framed like paintings by the villa’s con-

struction Sliding glass walls will be mounted between the wings and shaded terraces, smoothing out

the borders of interior and exterior spaces. The roof is one giant terrace, furnished with a small 80

centimetre deep cocktail pool and an optional sunken sitting area or sand box.

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villa #14 | typology: path house | orientation: south east | slope: steep (40o)

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The Path House is designed for steep sloping sites. Two oblong floors are partially set into the cliff face.

The roof of each floor creates a terrace for the floor that’s on top of it. The three terraces are connected

by big stairs creating a smooth transition from the road to the path below. One enters the house from

above. A carport is situated next to the house’s entrance along the road. Stairs bring you down to the

upper floor, which offers a wide view over the almond groves. Here you’ll find three bedrooms and a

studio, which can be used as a guesthouse for friends and relatives. One floor further down is

equipped with a big, high-ceilinged kitchen and a living room with a fireplace. Like the Terrace

House, the interior and exterior spaces are divided by sliding glass panels.

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T +31 (0) 20 31 41 1 1 1F +31 (0) 20 31 41 199

PO Box 37697 1 030 BH AmsterdamThe Netherlands

Pedro de Medinalaan 7a1086 XK AmsterdamThe Netherlands

E info@oeverzaaijer.nl I www.oeverzaaijer.nl