MONROYO • MATARRAÑA • TERUEL • ARAGÓN • EASY • GROWNUP • TIMELESS • CHILLED • SOHO • PURITAN • PLAYFUL • MODERNIST • CUBIC • URBAN-CHIC • POOL • LIBRARY • GARDENS • 14C CHURCH

A hideaway in Teruel, bordering Aragón, this observatory-like pad clasps to the bedrock amidst heady scents of thyme, lavender + almond groves.

The terrain hosts a stark sequence of cubist structures which beautifully marry with the monastic 14th century Ermita – a small intense masterpiece at the heart of this decidedly relaxed, creative enclave.

There is a subtle sweet rawness that caresses the place, with the wooden cubes adopting translucence + solidity, framing the wide vistas beyond – the huge open-ended window of each den reflects those medieval portals of the old church – a connectivity that runs a thread throughout.

There is something to be said for ME time - from your private cube you can dance as naked as a bird, or just sit and gaze a yonder. Rejoin your fellow housemates taking the garden path past the sunken pool + follow your nose to the open kitchen dining or curl up over a bottle in the whimsical library.

A crafted, regional remit of old style luxury, translated for the nomads of today in a deliciously relaxed tone.

The savvy insider coordinates for this bolt hole are dead simple, here's the lowdown: Barcelona (250km) Valencia (200km) nestling closer to Zaragoza (100km) and Castelion (100Km). See you there.

Vall d'en Joan, the recycled Metropolitan Park located in the Natural Park of Garraf, Barcelona. We take a look at this unique landscape project on the outskirts of town that has transformed a former landfill site into an eco public space, a sort of countryside close to the city.