“To design means what it has always meant ancestrally: to create habitats for their inhabitants, so they can live in and use them. But with today’s ecological crisis, we must reflect on the impact our work has on the world—climatically included. Buildings must be beautiful and functional, of course, but we need to go much further.”
– Marc Alventosa Zaidin
Rethinking the role of architecture today means facing the climate crisis with a sense of responsibility—by reducing the environmental impact of buildings and improving people’s quality of life. These are the core principles of Alventosa Morell Arquitectes’ work, featured during Sguardi sulla Materia, an event promoted by Diasen, where they shared their vision on sustainability, bioclimatic design, and natural materials.
Beyond Functionality: Designing for Well-Being and Climate
According to the architects, the mission of architecture remains the same: to create living spaces that are comfortable and useful. Yet, in the context of today’s environmental emergency, designing also means questioning the climate impact of our choices. Aesthetic and functional quality must go hand in hand with a responsible, bioclimatic approach—based on passive strategies that reduce energy needs, improve building envelope breathability, and use low-impact natural materials.
“The most significant change we’ve experienced—from our university days to today—is understanding how to provide the greatest benefit to the user while following criteria of sustainability and greenhouse gas reduction. This has been the major transformation in our way of thinking and working.”
– Xavier Morell Jané
The studio’s philosophy has evolved over time toward an increasingly sustainability-oriented practice. The goal is to design buildings that offer maximum living comfort with minimal energy consumption, while limiting CO₂ emissions and promoting the use of natural, local, and circular materials.
The Inca Project: A Transitional Building Between Past and Future
A concrete example of this philosophy is the 54 nZEB apartments project in Inca, Majorca, developed in collaboration with Diasen. Originally a redevelopment initiative, the 54 apartments project, owned by the IBAVI, the Balearic Entity which handles public homes, has been transformed from an “extractive” architecture—based on high-impact materials—into a building that favors local resources and biocompatible solutions.
The design draws from Mediterranean culture, emphasizing continuity between interior and exterior spaces, conviviality, and a strong connection with the garden and climate. A large flat roof made of wood and cellulose covers a space where structure, envelope, and layout are conceived as a coherent, essential, and highly efficient system.
The result is a building that has halved CO₂ emissions through the use of local ceramics and natural insulation materials by Diasen, chosen to address thermal bridges using a circular, ecological, and breathable approach. The final lime-based plaster finish has become a distinctive element of the project, appreciated both for its aesthetics and for how it harmonizes with materials like iron and ceramic.
Material Simplicity: An Ethical and Aesthetic Choice
Each new project by the studio begins with a careful analysis of the building’s structure and thermal behavior. In regions like parts of Catalonia, where summer climates are increasingly extreme, thermal mass becomes essential for maintaining stable indoor temperatures. This is evident in a recent project in Matadepera, where a massive structural envelope naturally regulates the internal temperature and uses solar gain to maximize comfort.
In all their homes, the guiding principle remains reduction to the essential: using only necessary materials, with careful attention to their origin and function. Finishes, roofs, and flooring are conceived as minimal, functional layers—free from excess or superficial elements—striking a perfect balance between aesthetics, sustainability, and performance.
Toward Responsible Architecture with Diasen
The vision of Alventosa Morell Arquitectes is part of a broader movement that redefines architecture as a responsible act—rooted in place and attentive to resource use. Within this context, Diasen stands out as an ideal partner for those seeking sustainable, natural, and high-performance solutions.
Through ongoing research into eco-compatible materials and innovative construction systems, Diasen supports designers and architects in creating buildings that respect the environment and enhance people’s well-being.
