An Architect's Escape: A Cultured Retreat in Andalucia, Spain

A design-minded traveler's dream and a haven for those who seek tourist-free destinations, Los Angeles architect Lewin Wertheimer's Dos Flamingos in the heart of Andalucia, offers a cultured retreat, sophisticated accommodations and easy access to all of Southern Spain's historic treasures.

Wertheimer lived in Spain as a teenager and went on to attend the University of Madrid before moving back to his native Los Angeles. However, his mother, an ardent Hispanophile remained behind living a bohemian adventure in Andalucia. Nearly twenty years later, Wertheimer decided to design his mother a new home while building two additional side-by-side villas for rental and personal use. The homes are known as Dos Flamingos in a nod to the nearby Laguna Fuente de Piedra – a well-known breeding ground for pink flamingos.

Wertheimer, known in Los Angeles for his work on eclectic homes that embrace scale, setting and lifestyle more than grandiosity or ego, designed the homes to fit into the natural and architectural landscape of Southern Spain while capturing a modern, open and airy interpretation of traditional Andalucian design.



The twin rental homes each have three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a pool and interior courtyard. The furnishings are sophisticatedly simple – clean lines, a light color palate accented by bright colors, comfortable corners for reading or taking siestas. The views from the roof terraces look out to the budding olive groves, quaint village of Fuente de Piedra and the peaceful Laguna.

"There is nothing better than having the option to go out and explore a fascinating region or to read a book in a comfortable nook and enjoy a siesta," says Wertheimer. "Dos Flamingos gives you that option. Guests feel like they are in a home away from home, with the ability to immerse themselves in the culture and daily way of life. Dos Flamingos captures the notion of enjoying the simple things in a luxuriously comfortable dwelling, something often difficult to achieve in European travel."

Dos Flamingos was designed specifically for the needs of today's luxury vacationer to create a peaceful, uncluttered environment that embraces the character and charm of Andalucía. The home is ideally positioned with access to some of the best attractions including Antequera, The Dolmens of Antequera, El Torcal Nature Reserve, Donkey "burro" Sanctuary, Lobo Park Antequera, Picasso Museum Malaga, Botanical Gardens of Malaga, Granada & the Alhambra, Sevilla, Cordoba & the Mezquita and Ronda Village.



The versatility of Dos Flamingos allows travelers to take in Spain at their own speed. Fuente De Piedra's nearby central plaza offers the ultimate in natural beauty and relaxing seclusion with its shops, bars, and cafes surrounded by olive groves and beautiful mountain views. For those looking to explore more of Spain's rich history and architecture a 90 minute trip lands you in Ronda, Sevilla, Cordoba and Granada, or the high speed train is 2 1/2 hours to the country's beating heart, the capital, Madrid, where the locals express their love for the city with the proverb: "From Madrid to heaven, and in heaven, a little window from which to see it."

For rates and reservations please visit the Dos Flamingos website: www.dosflamingos.com

About the architect: Lewin Wertheimer Architecture