Honoured to be featured in Forbes for our work after 25 years of creating humanist architecture by Manuel Ruiz Moriche.

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Honoured to be featured in Forbes for our work after 25 years of creating humanist architecture by Manuel Ruiz Moriche.

December 16, 2022

Reading time: 4

FORBES.ES DECEMBER 2022

Artisans of the new architecture.

ARK Architects is leading a new architecture style designed to fit the place and the people who inhabit it, with a unique global service in Europe for international clients.

ARK Architects turns 25, and it is doing so by tasting an architectural language based on controlling all the stages of the process, to guarantee the highest quality and safety standards, but also respect for a much more human architecture. Reflecting this are the villas it designs and builds in privileged natural surroundings, this studio works in the most exclusive locations in Spain, such as Marbella, Zagaleta, Villa Padierna, Sotogrande and Madrid, as well as carrying out international projects in Miami, Milan, New York and Dubai.

Manuel R. Moriche, founding partner of ARK Architects, shares his vision of an industry destined to embrace clients: “The reinvention of architecture comes hand in hand with the evolution of personal priorities, lifestyles, working from home, digitalisation of processes, changing socio-economic environments, healthy lifestyles and commitment to the environment, forcing us to be in constant beta to the demands of our clients and the high-end market,” he says.

“Creating a house is more than just making a structure, it is your safe place. You can live in a luxury villa, but to do so in a masterpiece designed down to the last detail tailored to you is unique and special,” he states.

They, who specialise in high-end single-family homes, see this type as a real client reinvention, who have made the leap from industrialised to emotional products.

Therefore, the whole project needs seek customisation, emotion and the generation of unique experiences within the home.

But there is also room for technology. In fact, Ark Architects is committed to 21st century sustainable luxury that sets itself apart. “With state-of-the-art technological systems, such as automation and intelligent control of the entire home, invisible loudspeakers, temperature self-regulation, fingerprint detection, smart lighting, security and cybersecurity systems, etc.”, says Manuel.

Innovation is a constant in the company, which has seen all software tools evolve. Virtual reality, 3D printing, BIM methodology, as well as on-site management systems are undoubtedly essential in its development. “Without losing sight of the fact that we are architectural craftsmen in the development of each home. We create architecture thinking about the human being who remains at the centre of the whole process, so we can’t standardise, because each person is unique. We have a very humanistic concept of architecture,” he confesses, adding:

“Digital tools work at our service. The main focus of each project has to be the place, light, the materials and the people”.

Ark’s client profile is international. Specifically, it is 80% foreign and 70% European, with a couple of sometimes overlapping goals: to acquire a second residence or to use it as an investment.

Even before the trend towards working from home accelerated, and following the forecast of more foreigners arriving in sought-after areas in Spain, the south of the country was undergoing a unique evolution in its architectural projects. Areas such as the Costa del Sol attract international investors with very high purchasing power every year, although Spain is currently the tenth country in the world in terms of millionaires who live or own homes in its territory.

Another goal from increasingly demanding clients has to do with sustainability and efficiency. ARK Architects can be proud to have built the most sustainable villa in our country: a 1,328 m2 luxury residence on a 2,500 m2 plot. Located in Sotogrande (Andalusia), it is called Villa Aire, and belongs to the exclusive club of bioclimatic spaces, which make the maximum possible use of natural resources (such as natural light, the sun, natural ventilation), always oriented towards energy saving.

They also follow the Passivhaus commitments which aims to keep emissions as low as possible, using natural ventilation systems and keeping the temperature inside buildings stable at around 20 ºC throughout the year.

Villa Island, in one of the most exclusive areas of the United States, also has a Mediterranean feel: Miami Beach, another of ARK Architects’ latest works of art. A minimalist, modern and innovative home with its own jetty and indigenous palm trees as part of its design.

Manuel Ruiz Moriche is accompanied in this adventure by his two partners, technical architects Diego Suárez and Santiago Ruiz Moriche, who are in charge of the management and construction phases. “We are a great team, which includes professionals in the fields of architecture, design and interior design, as well as engineering and landscaping, and even neuroscience,” says Manuel.

The implementation of 5G and the strong digitalisation brought about by the geopolitical context of recent years has increased the demand for technological devices and ARK Architects is convinced that we are heading towards a hybridisation between the person, the city and technology.