The irregular shaped land is located in a small gated community on the west side of the city. It is a very quiet place, where neighbors are bound to have a good urban context: calm, surrounded by trees and as car free as possible.

The clients, old friends, asked us to develop a comfortable, practical and pleasant house, which forced us to be very rigorous with spaces, circulations and the functional proposal of the house. 

The location of the house uses both sides’ boundaries, leaving two entries at the front, one for cars on the semi-basement with angled doors and creating a platform for the pedestrian entry. These two boundaries gave the emplacement the form of a “boomerang”, which could increase the scope of the relationship between the house and the garden at the back. 

The formal concept began with a big bended volume that arises from a powerful wall covered by gray stone which shelters the house, and also floats upon a craft wall made from black limestone strips. The second floor seems to float and generates a cantilever that protects the visitor.

The area distribution is simple: garage and service in the semi-basement, day-living on ground floor which is connected to the night-living through a great void at the main entrance with the vertical circulation. 

While entering the house, the visitor is greeted by an interior double-height patio, where a 6m tree is contained to generate a very calm atmosphere. Behind the tree lies the only staircase that connects the three levels and absorbs the angles generated by the “V” shaped volumes. 

A lattice was placed at the front to minimize the east-west land orientation, which allows a relationship with the wooded alley and also gives privacy inside.

Interior spaces are almost exempt from walls; the living and dining merge together in a large space that can be completely opened to the outside with windows that are hidden and communicate both garden and terrace.

This terrace is located in an intermediate point between the kitchen and the day-living area, but it seems to extend all the way to the back of the garden to have a direct relationship with the use of the pool which is the houses visual auction. 

To the west, we have balanced the strong afternoon sun with generous cantilevers and placing a dramatic wall which receives a lower cover at the terrace, nullifying the west direct sunlight.

 

In the second level, everything is connected through a clear corridor, where you can find the different rooms. The family room extends from the main entrance patio.

The house was built with very simple materials: plastered walls, white steel, coated aluminum, San Andrés gray stone, black America limestone strips, walnut wood and tempered glass. Bathroom and service areas were covered with porcelain and glass tiles. Some exposed concrete walls were incorporated to strengthen the interior. High-gloss lacquered walls were used to add depth and liveliness to the house; also we placed skylights in several places to allow natural light inside.