Bathroom in Alhama de Granada

In the context of a bioclimatic house in Alhama de Granada, where the architecture seeks balance with the environment, the bathroom has been conceived as a “third skin” capable of managing water and steam. The intervention technically differentiates two areas through the use of vernacular materials:

In areas with direct water impact —shower interior and washbasin front— we executed a tadelakt pigmented with natural Sienna earth. Through the technique of stone burnishing and saturation with black soap, we generate a continuous waterproof surface thanks to the chemical reaction of the lime (stearates). The process culminates with the application of natural waxes, which nourish the material and reinforce protection against water without the need for synthetic polymers.

For the rest of the vertical walls, we opted for trabadillo (a traditional mixture of lime and gypsum). This choice responds to a physical need: to provide the bathroom with a high hygroscopic capacity. While the tadelakt protects from liquid water, the trabadillo absorbs the environmental humidity peaks generated during the shower, avoiding condensation and returning healthiness to the air in a passive way.