House in Martindale Country Club / Alric Galindez Arquitectos

Architects: Alric Galindez Arquitectos / Santiago Alric, Carlos Galindez, Federico Lloveras
Location: Pilar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Collaborators: Alfredo Quiroga, Sofía Peluffo, Joaquín Adot
Project year: 2008
Constructed area: 628 sqm
Photographs: Alric Galindez

The house is located in a private country club, outside the city of Buenos Aires. Terrain’s main feature, is a defined northern orientation in coincidence with the best and main view, pointing right at the polo field.

The owners, a young couple with children, whose principal and most important request was to have an appropriate place for meetings and social life, and a private refuge as well, so as to rest themselves from the club´s surrounding activities.

Facing the street, a mute white wall proposes an austere limit, intending that mystery and joy, appear as a consequence of just coming inside the house right through a still water courtyard. This severe welcome somehow pretends to hide the inner life, and protect the inhabitants from unwanted looks passing by. Just a narrow opening, for casual peeping, reinforcing the idea of mystery and intrigue.

As a clear counter face, the rear façade opens to the polo field, and infinite views, loosing the sense of boundaries, making the limit between inside and outside, fade away.

The living-room, and dinning -room, act as a intermediate space between the access patio and the polo field, bonding at the same time, the resting and the cooking areas. The open kitchen coexists with an active playroom, both in close relation with the landscape outside due to a pleasant gallery that sews these environments.

Two levels define the rest room area. On the lower plan, the main suite and a study or guests room, and on the first floor, the children bedrooms and a study area for home working or reading.

As a final wink, to mystery and meeting, an underground basement is discovered, the best place for leisure and enjoyment.