A dark clay floor in the heart of Seville
What material can combat the heat, bring elegance and comfort? A dark terracotta floor
The Dyo studio of Seville signed the integral reform of an apartment in the very center of the city (the emblematic Betis street, on the urban bank of the Guadalquivir). It consists of two adjacent duplex apartments that have been connected into a single space, creating a spectacular home. The architects in charge of the project have wanted to play with a refreshing version of the color palette so typical of the city, and have included for the most intense tones a dark terracotta floor in almost the entire surface of the house.
The pieces chosen by the studio are two of our most reliable formats: the Cuadrado 15 and the Ladrillo rústico 25×12, in the Slate shade. These are two formats that guarantee a satisfactory result in any of their shades, but we love the decision to have one of our darker tones. This floor adds depth to the space, and also accentuates the incidence of light, which suddenly has a demarcation of its own.
Beyond color: the bioclimatic use of fired clay
The Guadalquivir valley, one of the warmest areas of the Iberian Peninsula during the summer months, is also one of the most punished areas by the climate crisis. Seville is timidly beginning to adapt to its new meteorological realities, but the heat is nothing new in the capital of Seville. Its neighbors know well the harshness of their summers. For this reason, it is not unusual to find, in the oldest buildings, materials that help to maintain the thermal comfort that is lost after twenty-five or twenty-six degrees.
Floors and walls of marble, terracotta or stone are very common in the buildings that best withstand the extreme conditions of the city. They are usually light-colored materials, which gives this project a unique identity. The decision to put a dark terracotta floor throughout the entire floor of the house will help not only to maintain ideal humidity and temperature levels, but also to give a very special feeling to the space (not to mention the aesthetic possibilities of a dark terracotta floor, which are practically endless).
