Concrete House
Set in the mountains of Guatapé, Colombia, this house is defined by a poured-in-place concrete plinth and roof, establishing three unique interactions with the landscape: a secluded excavated volume, an upper social space framing the views, and a rooftop with panoramic 360-degree vistas. The design serves as a tribute to its natural surroundings.
Standing at the tip of a hill, a concrete plinth and roof overlook the Rock of Guatapé and the surrounding water reservoir, it could be understood both as a belvedere over the horizon and a shelter excavated inside the mountain.
The triangular floor plan is shaped by the angular topography, creating three axes that organize spatial movements.
The experience of space within this compact house unfolds in three stages, or three interactions with the landscape: Firstly, a solid plinth almost integrated into the topography, intimately connected to the gardens. Secondly, a transparent upper level, a space projected towards the distant views framing the landscape. Lastly, an open-air, habitable roof.
Private and quiet areas are sheltered in the lower level, compressed inside an intricate solid mass that opens up to the sloped forest and gardens.
In contrast, the social area is a single, expansive room with three visible pillars supporting the weight of the roof, each with a distinct geometry: a triangular fireplace, a rectangular hollow column accommodating the refrigerator and pantry, and a rounded staircase topped with a skylight.
An organic path leads to a bridge providing access to a circular roof terrace with uninterrupted 360-degree views over the reservoir scenery.
The overlapping of different geometries creates an abstract construction that offers diverse spatial experiences and distinct relationships with the landscape.
The overlapping of different geometries gives rise to a structure that provides a range of spatial experiences and diverse relationships with the surrounding landscape.
