In Majorca, a One-Room Home With Sheep for Neighbors (Published 2024)

Designers Tyson Strang and Tatiana Baibabaeva transformed a dilapidated shepherd's hut in Majorca into an off-grid, monastic retreat. Located among ancient olive groves outside Sóller, the 376-square-foot stone-and-earth structure, estimated to be two to three centuries old, was meticulously restored using only locally sourced wood and rock. The couple, founders of the ceramics line Terra Coll Home, relocated from New York City to Majorca in 2020, seeking to integrate their lives and creative work with the island's landscape. Their design philosophy, which they term 'rustic design,' emphasizes unifying interior spaces with their natural surroundings by utilizing raw, local materials in construction and design. This project, a smaller and more personal endeavor following the renovation of their own 300-year-old Majorcan finca and several client residences, serves as the epitome of their aesthetic. The renovation of the olivars, as these shepherd’s sheds are colloquially known, involved reorienting the single room to capture wide views of the Balearic Sea. A low, linen-covered bed is centrally placed, facing an arched window, creating a focal point that connects the interior with the expansive outdoor scenery. The functional spaces extend outdoors, with an open-air pavilion designed to serve as a living room, kitchen, and washroom. This outdoor area features built-in lounging spaces with umber-colored cushions, a makeshift countertop with cast-iron burners for cooking, and a unique outdoor shower system comprising a curved copper pipe suspended from a boulder. Inside, the minimalist design continues with a toilet discreetly tucked into a corner and a sink carved from a local boulder, mounted into one of the lime-washed earthen walls. Rudimentary olive-wood lintels and cabinets crafted from antique oak flooring complement the rustic aesthetic. The flooring itself is salvaged limestone, brought slab by slab from a centuries-old Spanish church up the dirt pathway to the mountaintop, reflecting Strang and Baibabaeva's commitment to using traditional, manual methods that honor the land's history. Despite its elemental appearance, the cabin is highly functional, designed for temporary stays and as a base for their broader project of revitalizing a four-and-a-half-acre fallow olive orchard. The couple is actively pruning the orchard with the goal of harvesting olives for oil production within three years. Their efforts in olive cultivation reflect a deeper engagement with Majorca's agricultural heritage. They note that historically, human intervention in Majorcan olive groves has often enhanced the natural beauty and productivity of the land. However, with the decline of traditional cultivation, pine and oak trees have begun to encroach, shading the olive trees and threatening the ancient terraces. Strang and Baibabaeva's work not only restores a historical structure but also contributes to the preservation and continuation of Majorca's unique agricultural landscape, demonstrating a harmonious relationship between human design and the natural environment. #Majorca #HomeDesign #RusticDesign #OffGridLiving #ShepherdsHut #StoneArchitecture #LocalMaterials #OliveGrove #ArchitecturalRestoration #Majorca #HomeDesign #RusticDesign #OffGridLiving #ShepherdsHut #StoneArchitecture #LocalMaterials #OliveGrove #ArchitecturalRestoration