CASA_MYL
The Project of this single-family house is located on a plot of 1330 m2 in a low-density residential neighbourhood of Olivos, Vincente Lopez, Buenos Aires. The clients are a couple of young professionals and their two children.
The presence in the family of a member with reduced mobility was also determinant.
In the surrounding area, there is a strong presence of detached houses, from single to double story, with a wide variety of styles and morphological approach.
On the other side of the Street, that gives access to the plot, there is a more homogenic style of houses (some of them can be dated back to the late 50s) while the lots next the one we are dealing with are more recent. The profusion of Green is quite generous, it looms between the edges of each lots. The trees have no sign of Project, although there are some aged trees of important dimensions.
The site has a particular geometry: the access road draws a curve forcing the front edge to have a very tight arc of circumference. This forced us to do the Access from the Street.
The size of the lot, its particular geometry, and the need to guarantee accessibility to all areas of housing led to the decision to articulate the whole program in a single plant.
Its extension (330 m2) and its asymmetric cross layout to define four different external areas (four gardens) linked to the different interior spaces.
An accessible paved and public garden, gives access, on one hand to the service area, and on the other one to the main hub, between the two "L" that define the Project.
On one side, we have the living area: one wing, is composed by the dining room and the living room; The other one contains the kitchen and all the associated service units.
On the other side, we can see the master bedroom occupying one of the wings, all the other bedrooms and bathrooms they are located in it’s perpendicular wing instead.
To finish this last wing a quad area opens up to a semi-covered patio that links the main volume to
a barbecue area, a dining room and an engine room. This patio also connects two of the four exterior gardens mentioned above: the main one where the pool is located, open, free, as a living-dining room, and a more intimate garden related to the rooms. The fourth outer space is treated as a productive garden and is associated with the kitchen and dining room.
This four wings are sorted in two different roof width, one of 1.90m and the second one of 4.00m (they represent respectively the serving areas and the rooms themselves) made up of double wooden columns on their outer sides, arranged every 1.90m , and supporting walls in their shared inner side. These two roofs also have different heights, allowing the light pass from one side to the other one of the volume.
The configuration of the volumes gives continuity to the whole Project and allows to ensure the correct illumination in all the spaces of the house. The wooden beams have all the same section, forming larger edges when necessary by overlapping several of them.
For the materiality, the main concept was to divide the volume in layers of different materials.
A reinforced concrete base, with 70 cm height was necessary to generate a sill compatible with the use of furniture associated with some facades, giving a relationship of the house with the zero level. The next layer, is a development of brick painted in white alternated to some carpentry piece to give a rhythm to the facade. Finally, and as last layer, the wooden roof as finishing and crowning.
Another important element is the wooden Brise Soleil, as a light and visual filter for the exterior.
