Modern Mallorca: Ohlab compose a home out of a series of white boxes

Palma de Mallorca
Sat on a hillside in Palma de Mallorca, House MM is the brainchild of local architecture firm Ohlab and was conceived as a composition of white boxes
(Image credit: Ohlab)

Mallorca’s House MM attracts attention for all the right reasons. Created by local firm Ohlab, headed by Paloma Hernaiz and Jaime Oliver, it is gently nestled within a hillside in Palma, yet its modern white form creates a clean contrast to the natural, rocky and verdant surroundings.

‘The clients are a recently retired couple who wanted a house with a quiet atmosphere,’ explain the architects. ‘Their main requirement was to be able to enjoy the garden and the incredible views of the site.’ In response, Ohlab organised the interior program as a cluster of four ‘boxes’, which contain the kitchen, living and dining area, main bedroom and guest bedrooms. Each of these ‘boxes’ was meticulously placed within the plot and carefully rotated so as to ensure the best possible views and functionality for each of the rooms.

‘Passive’ home

(Image credit: Ohlab)

Take an interactive tour of House MM, Spain

The clients were determined to construct a ‘passive’ home; a structure that would be sustainable and feature several energy efficient elements. As a result, the property’s pitched roof was designed to collect rainwater that would fill two water tanks at the clients’ request; one would be used for irrigation and the second is reserved for personal use. The small structure is heated via an underfloor system, powered by solar panels on the property’s roof.

The interior of the 200 sq m home is clean and refined, using a simple, yet rich material palette. The white walls were paired with oak wood panels, seen on the doors and closets. Ohlab opted for locally produced green and beige hydraulic tiles to line the floor throughout, the traditional material integrating a touch of colour within their minimalist, contemporary design.

Four volumes

This grouping includes four volumes, which contain the kitchen, living and dining area, main bedroom and guest bedrooms

(Image credit: Ohlab)

Hillside

The structure sits effortlessly on the hillside, but at the same time strikes a bold contrast with its natural surroundings

(Image credit: Ohlab)

Each of these ‘boxes’ was carefully placed within the plot and rotated so as to ensure the best possible views and functionality

Each of these ‘boxes’ was carefully placed within the plot and rotated so as to ensure the best possible views and functionality

(Image credit: Ohlab)

Refined interiors

The clean and refined interiors showcase a simple, yet rich material palette 

(Image credit: Ohlab)

White walls

White walls are complemented by timber details, in window frames and doors

(Image credit: Ohlab)

Beige hydraulic tiles

At the same time, locally produced green and beige hydraulic tiles line the floor throughout, adding a touch of colour

(Image credit: Ohlab)

The minimalist design

The minimalist design also includes several eco-friendly features, such as underfloor heating, powered by solar panels on the property’s roof

(Image credit: Ohlab)

Green nature outside

The combination of modern sustainable features and traditional materials create a welcome balance, while the green tiles link the minimalist space visually to the green nature outside

(Image credit: Ohlab)

INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Ohlab website

Read more
House X, a brutalist house by Bojaus Arquitectura
A brutalist house in Spain embraces its wild and tangled plot
munich villa by manuel herz featuring clean interiors and geometric shapes
A Munich villa blurs the lines between architecture, art and nature
L House by Steven Holl, a furniture gallerist's dream and sculptural timber composition both internally and externally
Step inside this furniture gallerist's live-work space by Steven Holl in upstate New York
hero exterior of concrete minimalist volumes of Castle High by Hyde + Hyde Architects as part of our gallery of minimalist architecture
Minimalist architecture: homes that inspire calm
BGM Houseby Jacobsen Arquitetura, an Upstate Sao Paulo House
An Upstate Sao Paulo house embraces calm and the surrounding rolling hills
el aleph canadian guest house
This Canadian guest house is ‘silent but with more to say’
Latest in Residential
riverrock frank lloyd wright house
Frank Lloyd Wright’s last house has finally been built – and you can stay there
Tetris house, an island house in greece, with its white geometric volumes
A retro video game is the unlikely inspiration for this island house in Greece
Severance scene
The Eagan house from 'Severance' is available to rent
Costa Navarino Southward house
A Costa Navarino house peeks out from amidst olive groves to ocean views
Valeriane Lazard parisian apartment
Stay in a Parisian apartment which artfully balances minimalism and warmth
Conrad Buff II Residence, Pasadena house
Buy a slice of California’s midcentury modern history with this 1955 Pasadena house
Latest in Feature
the toteme store in China by herzog & de meuron
Bold, geometric minimalism rules at Toteme’s new store by Herzog & de Meuron in China
lo scoglio byron bay review
Wallpaper* checks in at Lo Scoglio: an Australian vacation rental with regenerative principles
zaha hadid architects future projects
The upcoming Zaha Hadid Architects projects set to transform the horizon
black and white image of kitchen
‘La Cocina’: the kitchen is a chaotic melting pot of contemporary culture in Alonso Ruizpalacios’ new film
lean lui guide to hong kong
A local’s guide to Hong Kong, by photographer Lean Lui
people at watch show
What can we expect from Watches and Wonders 2025?