La Chimenea

Who ever thought that living on an ‘Island in the Sun’ would make us become fascinated with the ultimate winter living room centrepiece. ‘La Chimenea’.

When our Spanish professor, Javier, first mentioned this majestic word in class it sounded like a Grand Opera or a very important book we should have read in high-school, but didn’t. Seems he was just talking about … a chimney!

If Rem Koolhaas can write 2528(!) pages in his book ‘Elements of Architecture’ about floors, ceilings, walls, doors, windows, and so forth, we thought writing a little blogpost on this beautiful centrepiece of (Ibiza) housing history wouldn’t hurt either. What’s good enough for Rem should be good enough for us. Wright?

Traditional Ibicencan house facades are intentionally non- or minimally decorated. Every formal element that does stand out from this sparsity will catch your attention quickly. As the only vertical element in a mostly horizontal design scheme, the chimney unites the horizontal with the vertical. The sky with the horizon.

We found much joy and playfulness in the way these fiery turrets were constructed on the Island. Sensually round and curvy or robustly rectangular, topped-off with sloped tiles. The ‘Entasis’ gives the chimneys their refinement, unnoticed at first glance, which adds to their visual tension. Details matter.

Inside, the fireplace was used as an organisational tool as in most traditional houses it was the natural nucleus of (winter) living. With its warm and cosy family gatherings around the fire, enclosed within the thick dry-stone walls of the family finca, the fireplace made the house into a home. The views were to be ‘enjoyed’ mostly outside, while working on the campo (instead of sipping espresso martini sundowners).

In modern adaptations we are now faced with the design dilemma to organise the living room around the fireplace (in winter), around the view (in summer) or around the ubiquitous TV (year-round). As many sofa-dealer will be happy to provide you with a one-size-fits-all solution in his or her vast selection of lounge sofas (we are also prone to this, obviously) maybe it’s a good time to take a moment and look at why there should be a choice to be made in the first place.

Maybe we need to think about the necessity to fit all in one room, one view, one picture, one instagram post?

Wishing you a warm season’s holidays, gathered around the fireplace, with your loved ones.

With love,
Studio Go

Credits:
Villa Aloe, Ibiza. Photo: Hometality Properties.