The architecture of the traditional Ibizan farmhouse
The traditional farmhouse of Ibiza, also known as “Casa Payesa”, is one of the most popular types of property available on the island. Just take a look and you will find them dotted around the hills and valleys of Ibiza.
“Casa payesa” is part of the cultural heritage of the island and in this post we will explain in full detail the main features you should look for in a finca for sale in Ibiza. No Ibizan finca is ever the same as the other, but all fincas have certain features in common that define them as a specific architectural style:
LOCATION
These kinds of properties were usually built in high places to avoid humidity and torrential rains, with the mountain to their backs in order to protect the house against the wind.
ORIENTATION
The entrance is always facing south to perceive sunlight also during the cold winter months.
WALLS
Thick walls are featured in lots of finca for sale in Ibiza, this helps to keep a cool temperature during summer and a warm temperature in the winter. On the outside most of the walls are whitewashed in order to protect and insulate the house from the bad weather.
MATERIALS
These types of properties were usually built by the farmer not by professionals. That’s why these properties were built with materials from the island: dry stone, juniper beams for the roof, clay and seaweed as insulation.
LAYOUT
Many traditional finca for sale in Ibiza still have a similar distribution. There is a porch which in the past was used for the communal needs of daily life and from which all the other rooms of the house are usually accessed. Normally, in addition to the bedrooms, there is a corral and a kitchen with a fireplace, which in the past was used for cooking and to warm up the house in the cold winter months.
Today a beautifully restored finca for sale in Ibiza reflects the character of the old fincas, but architects adapt it to modern living. The fincas are modernised with new materials and have considerable differences in form and composition, like big windows, higher ceilings and the use of more decorative elements. However, in essence, these types of properties preserve the memory, the technique and the identity of the Ibizan culture and history.
(Photo: Shutterstock)
