BINIBECA. A MEDITERRANEAN LANDSCAPE

Francisco Juan Barba Corsini (1916–2008) and Antoni Sintes Mercadal (1921–1981) built Binibèquer Vell (Binibeca, Menorca) between 1964 and 1972, demonstrating great sensitivity toward the natural environment and the Mediterranean architectural heritage. The interaction between nature, architecture and community is closely connected to the concept of cultural landscape, anticipating fundamental principles of Architecture and Landscape Ecology. Based on documentary and photographic sources, this study analyzes the strategies used to harmonize the project with the Menorcan landscape and the transfer of knowledge from vernacular architecture. The sustainability of this project is also addressed, understood as a space for coexistence, where environmental conditions and cultural traditions are integrated as key factors for territorial transformation. The ultimate goal is to draw lessons and enrich the scientific and cultural debate on the relationship between architecture and the environment in the Mediterranean context.