Therefore, when planning housing, it is not enough to deal only with design and layout. It is also important to ask: how will the house behave when extreme heat or fire comes?
oleeee is coming to the Spanish real estate market with modular villas that combine modern technology, natural materials and artistic detail. The company's founder and chief architect Aleš Fibinger presents a new unique concept: "Our portfolio is based on the vision of a modern modular villa in the Mediterranean style – with an emphasis on quality materials, solutions that reduce energy consumption and reasonable maintenance costs. The concept also works with the idea that architecture is an art form: the aesthetic experience is not meant to be an "accessory", but a natural part of everyday living. The project is intended for clients who are looking for uniqueness, individualism and personalization – but at the same time want a house that will stand up to the conditions of today's (and tomorrow's) Mediterranean."
Fire as a new "climate risk"
In the countries around the Mediterranean, three factors come together more and more often in summer: longer periods without rain, extreme temperatures and wind. Together, they create conditions in which vegetation turns into "fuel" and fire can spread quickly – often even near populated areas. Therefore, today, when choosing a plot of land and designing a house, the issue of fire resistance (not only firefighting standards, but the real behavior of the building in a crisis situation) is increasingly addressed.
The good news is that the risk can be significantly reduced by architecture and the right choice of materials. The key is to slow down the spread of fire, limit the formation and penetration of incandescent particles into the structure, and maintain the stability of the load-bearing elements even at high temperatures – so that there is time to intervene and leave safely.
oleeee has been dealing with fire protection measures since the first designs of the building. It makes sure that the modular structure consists of non-flammable or flame-retardant materials. The supporting structure is designed to be non-flammable. The Corian façade is also non-flammable and extremely durable. The interior uses non-flammable plasterboard systems. It also does not forget about the quality of the roof and critical details (edges, penetrations, places where leaves accumulate), high-quality windows and doors, including shading, as well as terraces and pergolas so that they do not help the fire "jump" to the façade.
Non-flammability is not just a marketing slogan today. It is a design principle.
When we talk about safe living in an area where large-scale fires can occur in the summer, the basis is the load-bearing structure and the composition of the perimeter walls. The offered villa is designed to minimize the spread of fire and so that the structure retains stability even under extreme fire loads. The basis of the solution is a CLT panel and the addition of steel elements to the load-bearing parts – a combination that brings high strength and predictable behavior in heat. The choice of insulation and system layers, which are designed with an emphasis on non-flammability, is also important.
In practice, it is also the "little things" that act as weak points in fires: surface layers, cladding, connections and protection of interior systems. The result is a house that combines aesthetics with safety. The goal is clear: to slow down the spread of fire and reduce the risk that fire from the surrounding area will spread to the construction site or develop quickly indoors.
When living in the Mediterranean today, we deal with more than just the view and square meters. We deal with resistance – to heat, wind, dust and fire. If these risks are taken into account in the design, you do not create a "bunker", but an elegant house that has higher security and better long-term value.
If you are planning a house by the sea or in the Mediterranean, it is worth going through the fire risks as honestly as the layout or budget. At oleeee, we know how flame retardant and safety can be translated into architecture without compromising on design.