Designed for a German family of six, this newly built home was imagined to feel as though it had always belonged to the landscape around it. Rather than decorating a new house with Mediterranean references, we built its character from the materials, proportions and imperfections that have shaped this island for generations.

New houses often arrive complete. Every surface is finished before life has begun.

Here we wanted the opposite.

We wanted a home that already carried a sense of history - not through imitation, but through restraint. Thick lime walls. Honest textures. Handmade materials. Spaces that become more beautiful as they age.

Designing with light

The light in this part of Mallorca influenced many of our material decisions. As the sun moves across the surrounding fields, the landscape shifts through warm tones of sand, honey and ochre. We wanted the interiors to do the same.

That's why we chose mineral-based finishes throughout the house, from lime walls to seamless microcement in the bathrooms. Unlike conventional paint, these surfaces catch and reflect light in a softer way, giving the rooms depth and warmth that changes throughout the day.

Just as importantly, they'll continue to age beautifully for years to come.

Layers

New houses can sometimes feel as though everything arrived on the same day. We like introducing materials that tell a different story.

Throughout Els Cocons, reclaimed stone brings weight, texture and a sense of permanence that new materials simply can't imitate. The carved basins, worn edges and irregular surfaces aren't imperfections to be corrected; they're reminders that beauty often comes from use, craftsmanship and time.

They make a new home feel settled from the very beginning.

Terracotta

We chose handmade terracotta because it creates continuity throughout the house.

Rather than changing materials at every threshold, the same warm clay surface moves from one room to the next, and out onto the terraces beyond.

Its subtle variations in colour and texture bring warmth without drawing attention to themselves, while the handmade finish feels entirely at home alongside the stone, lime and timber used throughout the project.

Living outside

Spending time in Mallorca has changed the way we design. Here, life naturally moves between inside and outside, often several times a day. That means outdoor spaces need to feel just as considered as the rooms inside.

Covered terraces become dining rooms, courtyards become living rooms, and carefully placed openings help draw the landscape into the house. Rather than treating the exterior as somewhere you visit, we wanted it to feel like another part of home.

Places to pause

We spend just as much time thinking about the spaces between the main rooms as the rooms themselves. A deep window reveal becomes somewhere to sit. A niche catches the afternoon light. A carefully framed view encourages you to slow down for a moment before moving on. These details rarely become the headline of a project, but they're often the places people remember most after living in a home.

Living with it

Every decision in Els Cocons was made with daily life in mind. The materials, proportions and details were never intended to be noticed one by one, but to work together as a whole. We hope it's the kind of home that feels welcoming on the first day, and even more so twenty years from now.

Architecture: Llober Arquitectura

Build: Consfutur

Interior design: espanyolet

Landscape design: Son Muda Gardens

Photography: Lifestyle Mallorca