Founded in 1991, La Zagaleta stretches majestically over more than 900 hectares of Mediterranean forest, offering panoramic views that reach Gibraltar and the African coast from its imposing villas.
Mystery surrounds the owners of the more than 200 mansions scattered across what was once the private hunting estate of Adnan Khashoggi. After the auction of these lands in 1989, a conglomerate of Spanish, Swiss, German, and American investors took ownership. Enrique Pérez Flores, the leader of the operation at that time and now honorary president of the company, aimed to develop an exclusive residential model with top-notch services. This includes two golf courses, a sports club, equestrian center, heliport, and even a private lake. A true earthly paradise accessible only to a privileged few: some of these properties have reached prices of up to 35 million euros and can exceed 5,000 square meters of construction.
Architecture and evolution of La Zagaleta
Several architects have left their mark on La Zagaleta, with Manuel Ruiz Moriche being one of the main pioneers of a unique Mediterranean architecture. Eight years ago, he introduced a modern interpretation of vernacular architecture, adapted to the environment with a contemporary design language for villas. In this new chapter of La Zagaleta, the garden, open spaces, natural materials, and subtle luxury define a new identity.
The concept of silent luxury has revolutionized architectural development, emphasizing the conscious selection of concepts and materials. Manuel Ruiz is distinguished for his meticulous attention to detail, materials, textures, and lighting. His aim is to create villas where residents can enjoy a distinctive living experience, blending physical and emotional well-being. Spacious interiors, private pools, and expansive terraces offer countless opportunities to contemplate the breathtaking views extending from La Zagaleta and beyond.
Villa KAIZEN: Art Embracing Nature
An exemplary instance of the reinvention of this architecture is Villa KAIZEN, a residence that embraces a large rock to unfold across a 5,000 m2 plot overlooking the sea.
“Embracing that rock in such a privileged location, while keeping in mind the desire to create a home to live in, has been the continuous great challenge,” commented architect Manuel Ruiz Moriche.
KAIZEN, which means “continuous improvement” in Japanese, is based on the idea that small positive changes made consistently can lead to significant long-term improvements. This concept has underpinned the design of this villa, enhancing a unique location through incremental changes to create a home.
For Manuel Ruiz Moriche, “improvement is always ongoing in our case, and with KAIZEN, it has taken on another dimension with the use of natural materials, stone cutting, space redistribution, furniture integration, and thorough analysis of every view towards the mountains and sea, including natural rock in the wellness area, as well as a reinvention of the functionality for remote work. Thus, a masterpiece is created that also becomes a desirable place to live, located in Europe’s most discreet urbanization, La Zagaleta.”
