Riera House

Experimental dwelling prototype MR6, built in 1984. Architecture by Alfons Soldevila and Josep Ignasi de Llorens.

Dimly lit wooden interior with an open split-level space, a staircase joining the three levels, large windows, and an open door leading outside where an Alsatian dog can be seen.
Wooden interior with an open split-level space, a staircase and a Siamese cat lying on the floor near large sliding glass doors. In the background big windows on the lower and upper levels open to the green outside
Exterior view of a modern concrete block house with a large pool in the garden, surrounded by greenery and trees.
Covered outdoor area with a staircase leading to a wooden deck, surrounded by lush greenery and potted plants. A Siamese cat sits beside the stairs.
Concrete block exterior of a building with a balcony featuring potted red flowers and a metal pergola above.
Wooden deck with ivy-covered concrete block pergola, overlooking a garden with pine trees and potted flowers on the floor.
Outdoor swimming pool beside a concrete block house, surrounded by trees, greenery and oleander flowers, with a view of distant hills.
Sliding glass door on a concrete block wall, reflecting the outdoor greenery and a distant view of the hills.

Residential Architecture Photography: Riera House by Alfons Soldevila

This residential architecture photography series documents the pioneering Riera House (Casa Riera), an experimental dwelling prototype designed by Alfons Soldevila in collaboration with Josep Ignasi de Llorens. Built near Barcelona as a landmark study in structural efficiency and material independence, this home questions traditional domestic layouts. It prioritises flexibility, environmental adaptation, and structural honesty over conventional ornamentation.

The photoshoot focuses on documenting the industrial-edged materiality, light shifts, and split-level spatial geometry of this innovative residential design.

Documenting Experimental Textures and Volumetric Depth

The visual storytelling of this interior architectural shoot captures the Riera House as a beautiful, functional system in which raw construction materials align with the architectural outcome.

  • Split-Level Interior Volumes: The interior architecture of the Riera House is anchored by an open, multi-tiered layout that maximises vertical sightlines. The photography uses warm, low-light framing to emphasise the contemplative feel of the split-level timber spaces. By positioning the camera along the wooden mezzanine handrails and platforms, the images show how the living zones flow together without heavy partition walls.
  • The Stark Honesty of Materials: A primary focus of the series is the Riera House’s unapologetic mix of raw building materials, combining rich structural timbers with exposed masonry and mortar block elements. The exposures are precisely metered to capture the contrasting tactile details between smooth, linear floorboard grain and cold, textured concrete block grids.
  • Atmospheric Light Sifting: The Riera House handles light with poetic restraint, filtering it into a softly lit, meditative sanctuary. The photographs trace how soft natural light cascades down from strategic openings, casting long, deep geometric shadows that emphasise structural depth.

A Technical Framework for Experimental Architectural Portfolios

Documenting an experimental building requires a disciplined compositional structure that replicates the architectural rigour of the creators. Every photograph in this gallery is composed using strict orthogonal alignment, keeping the exposed posts, beams, and lightweight wooden frameworks straight and free of wide-angle lens distortion.

By balancing subtle interior ambient lighting with the natural illumination screening through the envelope, this architectural portfolio piece preserves a high-fidelity visual record of Alfons Soldevila’s legacy of sustainable and innovative residential design in Catalonia.