The house standing on the rough, layered stone base

Can Lis

Project
Can Lis
Architect
Jørn Utzon
Collaborators
Adrien Richter, Bianca Eriksson
Location
Delft, NL
Materials
MDF wood, pigmented cast concrete and gypsum, hand molded clay, plaster, mixed media
Exhibition Model
1:100, 1:20, 1:5, 1:1

The analysis is based on a series of core themes that encapsulate the essence of the Can Lis house and are integral to understanding its architecture. The interplay among these themes is thought out both conceptually and in the physical construction of the models, artifacts and sculptures, capturing the spirit and nuance of the Mallorcan residence. Space, Time, Matter, Gravity, Light, Silence, Dwelling, Room, Ritual, Memory, Landscape and Place represent the architecture and the fundamental qualities of this house.

This design was showcased at ‘BK City’s street’ in the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at TU Delft.

  • Material study for Can Lis: stone slabs, a curved white roof piece, tiles and terracotta pipes on a plywood board 1/8
  • Stacked stone slabs, one of the material studies for Can Lis 2/8
  • Study model with two white roof pieces on stone and a terracotta cylinder 3/8
  • Study model combining stone blocks, tiles and a metal roof 4/8
  • White plaster study model with a castellated wall on a plywood base 5/8
  • A wooden frame with small painted panels of sea and coast, on a plywood base 6/8
  • The Can Lis model: two small houses with dry branches on a rough, layered stone base 7/8
  • A concrete-grey study model on a plywood base 8/8
  • Pencil drawing of crossing hatched lines 1/8
  • Charcoal rubbings of textured surfaces 2/8
  • A red textured surface with dark branch-like lines 3/8
  • Charcoal drawing of two triangular shapes above red strokes and a textured block 4/8
  • Charcoal drawing of a window opening in thick walls 5/8
  • Black and white drawings of the sea and coastal vegetation 6/8
  • Charcoal drawing of boxed shapes joined by a loose line 7/8
  • Dense black charcoal drawing of a block with a small structure on top 8/8

To tell the story of this home, focus was given to the materials and techniques that give it life. We aimed to recreate these important ingredients and build a sequence of models and sculptures that guide us through the house, illuminating Mallorcan traditions and Utzon’s creative vision.

The design of Can Lis revolves meticulously around the family’s rituals and daily routines, creating an almost choreographic way of living. Time and place are defined by the sun, prompting continual transitions between inside and outside, constantly influencing the perception of interior and exterior space, blurring their border and naturally slowing down the pace of life. This collection of sculptures and models wants to evoke the sensation of stripping down a building and highlighting its intricacy and poetry, inviting the user to step back, reflect and analyse space.

The sandstone walls and terracotta roof seen up close
  • Wooden frames holding photographic images of the Mallorcan sea 1/5
  • Stacked slabs of cast concrete, showing the porous surface 2/5
  • Cast concrete columns with a terracotta and a black element between them 3/5
  • A roof tile resting on the layered wall, with the zigzag pattern below 4/5
  • Hand-moulded terracotta roof tiles, modelled at full scale 5/5
1:200 concept model of De Draaier: a white residential tower next to a black steel hall structure