Description
In the hills not far from Ronda stands a house that has been a labor of love for over 40 years. ~~The Argentinian architect Mario Connio discovered it while staying in Marbella with a friend whose father owned a nearby house in southern Andalusia. Succumbing to love at first sight, she bought the abandoned farmhouse from an order of nuns and has been developing and perfecting it ever since. ~~Mario has worked as an architect in Europe since the 1970s. His main home is in Madrid and he has another in Buenos Aires, but now he spends six or seven months a year at the farmhouse.~~The 30-acre site immediately inspired a vision of possibilities for Mario. There were Italian and Spanish walnut trees, as well as walnut, mulberry, olive, and almond trees. Thirty years ago, he began adding to this mix, which now includes pistachios and holm oaks, the acorns of which are fed to indigenous black Iberian pigs, known for their ham. ~~Today, around 200 liters of Arriate olive oil is pressed on the property each year and up to 2,000 kilograms of almonds are harvested.~~The traditional Andalusian farmhouse originally had one floor, and Mario has added a glass roof in the form of a pyramid on a central patio that was previously open. This has been converted into a covered interior patio that allows light to enter the heart of the house, with a terracotta tiled floor dotted with potted ferns. From here the kitchen and dining room lead to one side and two bedrooms to the other. As the crow flies, a long living room stretches across the back of the house. This last space has many windows and beautiful views towards the valley. The interior decoration here and throughout the house is relaxed and reflects much of what Mario has seen and liked on his travels. She has a particular interest in textiles, as evidenced by the happy contrasts of stripes and indigo, as well as Indian, African and Argentinian designs. Similarly, the furniture and lighting have been collected over time from around the world, while the many paintings are of friends or are family portraits. Such elements stand out against the white walls and sky blue ceilings. ~Elsewhere, in the dining room and kitchen, the walls and old ceiling beams have been painted a new shade of green, as if to reference the verdant gardens.~~From the sitting room, French windows lead to a loggia, which, like the rest of the exterior of the house, is painted a deep sky blue. Sitting there in the shade, you can see the house reflected in a shallow pool that surrounds it on three sides. Its waters have flowed for 40 years, inspired by the great 8th-century Moorish gardeners of the Alhambra's Generalife gardens, for whom fountains and running water were so essential.~~Other dwellings have been ripped from three farm buildings. Caretaker Belén and her mechanic husband Carlos occupy one, while another (where there used to be an old bread oven) is now comfortable guest accommodation. ~Mario has turned the final unit into his own room, with his bedroom, office and private living room, shared with his four adorable dogs.~~Aware of the extremes of Andalusian winters and summers, Mario wanted to be able to control the heat, Light and shadow. There are open fireplaces in all rooms, while the window exteriors are fitted with locally made wooden shutters. These are kept low all day in summer to keep the house cool and produce a wonderful effect of sunlight filtering into dark rooms. ~~Each room has its own terrace, with a pergola, which is shaded in summer by a canopy of wisteria, honeysuckle, bignonia and jasmine. In winter, all but the honeysuckle lose their leaves, allowing light into the rooms once more.~~Outside, the garden paths are made of individually laid paving stones that were gathered from the surrounding country or from the local rivers. Complete the feeling of a long established property. ~Instead of steps, the terraces are connected by ramps, which Mario finds more flowing, a sight enthusiastically endorsed by his gardener, especially when working with his wheelbarrow. Beyond the exuberant wisteria stretch the plants that are so characteristic of the region. ~~What a wonderful place to get away.
