Kenya’s Casa Querol, a modern home designed by Spanish Architect Alberto Morell Sixto, was built for David Querol and Elena Velilla. Located on a windy ridge in the Nairobi suburb of Karen, the linear concrete home with large pool and vast backyard took 8 years to complete.

Casa Querol

With an unassuming, almost austere curbside facade, only the wooden door and framed window hint at the unexpected interior and yard of Casa Querol.

One enters the main home on the ground floor by walking into a 33 square meter foyer. This floor has a 35 sq meter studio/office/library, a bathroom, a 54 sq meter living area, a 37 sq meter kitchen and a 35 sq meter dining room, all lined in wood.

A white-washed wall running the length of the home is the backdrop to the beautiful warm wood built-ins and furnishings, a stark contrast to the concrete.

The upper floor is reached by climbing the 2″ thick, 30cm wide cedar split-level stairs with dovetail joints.

Ascending the stairs brings you to a catwalk lined with 30 meters of Mahogany wood wardrobe closets.

From here one can look down onto the ground floor. The homes’ 4 bedrooms, each with their own fireplace and full bathroom, are located on this floor.

Two inch thick sliding cedar wood doors open the home to the fabulous 30 meter square backyard complete with a large wood deck, planted trees, a sunken barbeque area and an enormous 150 cm deep swimming pool with built-in Cypress wood Pergola.

A garden of Acacia trees is set across the pool and beyond that lies the servants quarters, a workshop, a kitchen, a gym and a sauna.

Arquitecto: Alberto Morell / Clientes: David Querol, Elena Velilla / Colaboradores: Ariadna Barrio, Alba Balmaseda / Fotógrafos: Javier Callejas, Tomás Muñoz / Constructor, carpintería y ebanistería: David Querol / Capataz de obra: Eliud / Cálculo estructuras: Jorge Miró, Jeremy Njoroge /

Construction: 2008-2016
info and images courtesy of Alberto Morell and Archidatum