Nested House, a 100-square-meter renovation in Torrefiel, Valencia, was built around one big decision, keep the original exterior envelope instead of tearing it down. Local rules would have allowed demolition, but the design team preserved the solid brick shell built with lime mortar and treated it as both the boundary and the starting point for the new home.

For mason contractors, it’s a reminder that preservation work is not always about making old brick look new. Here, the existing masonry is left with its irregularities, past repairs, and traces of time still visible. That puts the focus on careful stabilization and compatible patching where needed, not overfinishing the wall.

The street-facing openings stayed where they were. Some were closed off with mortar panels, and others were screened with vertical stone fins that help air circulate while protecting ground-floor privacy. A tall, narrow timber door adds warmth to an otherwise restrained facade.

Above the preserved brick base, a simple white volume extends the plane of the original wall and nearly doubles the height. Inside, a central courtyard does the heavy lifting. A nearly 7-meter-high glazed facade faces the courtyard, and retractable panels at ground level let the kitchen and dining area open directly to the outdoor space across a continuous stone floor.

A compact interior core organizes the layout, including a limestone staircase that divides the ground floor between private rooms toward the street and living spaces toward the courtyard. Upstairs, an open living and study area looks down into the double-height space, and a skylight along the street-side wall brings in sun without giving up privacy.

Read the full, original article from Archisearch here.