140 Saxun ‘Alicantinas Ideal’ roller shutters for sun protection in 39 social housing units in Navarre

There are solutions which, through contemporary architecture, find new ways to realise their full potential.

In this project comprising 39 social housing units in Entremutilvas, Navarre, Saxun’s ‘Alicantinas Ideal’ shutters form part of a design in which architecture, landscape and sustainability help to foster a sense of community.

Designed by Taller Básico de Arquitectura, MRM Arquitectos and Unai Armendáriz Vidaurre, the building opens out onto the landscape through an L-shaped volume and transforms its external galleries into transitional spaces between the dwelling and its surroundings.

To round off this strategy, the Ideal Alicante-style shutters in a walnut finish help to control the amount of sunlight entering the space and transform these verandas into more sheltered and comfortable areas.

A second skin that regulates interaction with the outside world

The orientation of the dwellings presents one of the project’s major challenges: making the most of the light, the views and the connection with the outdoors without compromising on comfort in the face of direct sunlight.

The galleries act as an extension of the home and create a transition between the interior and exterior. Here, the ‘Alicantinas’ become a light, flexible second skin that regulates solar radiation, provides shade and ensures privacy, whilst maintaining ventilation and an unobstructed view of the landscape.

A solution that is particularly simple to operate, yet capable of adapting to the needs of any given moment and any home. When retracted, they allow for an unobstructed view and a connection with the surroundings. When extended, they provide protection from the sun and create a more intimate and sheltered atmosphere.

A traditional solution for contemporary architecture

The Alicante-style shutter has been an integral part of our approach to sun protection for generations. At Entremutilvas, this tradition takes on a new form.

The wood of Saxun’s Alicantinas Ideal shutters, in a walnut finish, blends naturally with the building’s structure and materials, enhancing the warmth and visual continuity of the whole. This finish was chosen from the range of colour options available for the Alicantina Ideal shutter, making it easy to integrate into the project.

Their presence adds texture, rhythm and warmth to the interior façades, but, above all, it demonstrates that a traditional solution can still meet entirely contemporary needs: controlling the amount of sunlight, promoting thermal comfort and allowing people to decide at any given moment how they wish to interact with the outside world.

Homes to live in, both inside and out

The project views the home as something that extends beyond its interior boundaries. The galleries become another room, opening out onto the landscape and expanding the ways in which the home can be used.

This is a particularly important concept in multi-occupancy housing: creating spaces that allow residents to enjoy light and fresh air, to socialise, to look outwards and, at the same time, to maintain their privacy.

As architect Edurne Pérez Díaz de Arcaya explains, the solution makes it possible to maintain open, well-ventilated spaces whilst protecting them from direct sunlight – a point she explores in greater detail in the interview published in our News section.

Winner of the 2024 BEM Egurtek Special Award, the Entremutilvas project demonstrates that innovation and tradition do not necessarily have to go their separate ways.

Saxun’s 140 ‘Alicantinas Ideal’ homes revive a century-old solution, incorporating it into architecture that reflects on sustainability, efficiency and new ways of living.

Because protecting ourselves from the sun doesn’t mean giving up on the outdoors. It means learning to get on better with it.