Located in a consolidated forest region from La Costa, in Argentina, this concrete house was designed by Besonias Almeida Arquitectos to serve as a home and studio and to take advantage of the landscape, the views and the topography. As always, there were numerous challenges which the architects had to overcome. One of them was related to the fact that the site has a 2 meter slope. The architects came up with the idea to build three staggered volumes with a different of around 45 centimeters in height between them. This organization of the spaces allows the house to respond to the topography in a practical and at the same time beautiful manner.
The three volumes sit on platforms which allow the interior spaces to be extended outdoorsThe staggered volumes feature a different of 45 centimeters between then and come as a response to the sloping terrain problemA circulation hallway connects the internal spaces on a longitudinal axis
The eastern side of the house is exposed to the street and has few and controlled openings while the northern side allows the living spaces to extend outdoors, featuring a large covered terrace. The entrance is placed at the center of the floor plan. The interior spaces are delineated through hollow brick partitions while the main materials used throughout the house are concrete and glass. The polished concrete floor ensures a fluid and continuous interior design and elements such as the concrete kitchen counters maintain a simple aesthetic throughout the spaces.
The living area seamlessly extends outdoors, featuring a sliding glass door to a large, covered deckThe owners wanted the house to measure no more than 150 square meters across and to be simple and low-maintenancePolished concrete floors visually connect the spaces and also help to maintain simplicity throughout the houseThe aesthetic of the house is similar to the other houses in this area designed by the same studioThe internal volumes are interconnected, featuring partitions and openings between themThe house contains a large living area, an open kitchen, two bedrooms and a multifunctional studio/ guest roomThe site is partially populated with trees and was designed to take advantage of the landscapeThe overall simplicity of the architecture, design and materials involved help the house to better blend in with the surroundingsA covered deck overlooks the valley, bringing light and a panoramic view into the living areaThe kitchen is big and spacious, incorporating a dining table perpendicular to the island and parallel to the windowThe staggered floor plan gives the house a lot of character and takes the attention away from the fact that it’s a single-story structureThe palette of colors, materials and finishes is limited to only a few inspired by nature and the surroundings
