La Maison en Petits Cubes (つみきのいえ, Tsumiki no Ie, "The House of Small Cubes") is a 2008 Japanese animated short subject film created by Kunio Katō. It won several prizes, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2009. It has a visual palette that's much different and more rustic than many other cartoon shorts. It follows an older man who lives alone and is forced to keep adding levels to his home to stay dry as the rest of the town slowly floods with water.
One day, after accidentally dropping his pipe into the water, he dives down after it, going through the other rooms in search of it and making him relive some of his life as memories begin to resurface. These memories include many eventful times in his life, as well as times from before the flood.
Located in Quesa, in the Valencia province of Spain, The Olive Grove House is a spectacular example of contemporary Spanish architecture that celebrates the past, Moorish architectural influences, the beauty of nature, and rich materiality. Balzar Arquitectos completed this sustainable architecture project in a collaboration with the clients, who had spent childhood summers in the area and decided to relocate to Quesa from Barcelona. The site is located just on the outskirts of the town, effectively creating a bridge between urban and rural settings. Additionally, the plot is the home of an olive grove, offering the studio the perfect opportunity to establish a powerful relationship between nature and built environment.