VS Houses / Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos

VS Houses / Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos - FacadeVS Houses / Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos - Sofa, Table, ChairVS Houses / Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos - Windows, Facade, Garden, CourtyardVS Houses / Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos - Facade, HandrailVS Houses / Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos - More Images+ 22

Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
  • Architects: Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  818
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2007

Text description provided by the architects. The project is a speculative development and the client is a for-profit corporation. The program was dictated by the needs of the market: four bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms with all the other spaces typical of sub-urban living. The houses exist between a “rural feeling” access road  in the fringe of suburbia and a high speed expressway. 

VS Houses / Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos - Windows, Facade, Handrail

The site straddles a ridge between two creeks, one of which divides San Juan (the capital city of Puerto Rico) from Guaynabo (a main suburb of the capital city). The contextual duality of the rural-like suburbia vs. the high speed expressway and city frames the project.

VS Houses / Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos - Sofa, Table, Chair

As part of the conceptual process three questions generated the initial thought: How can two houses reconcile the contextual duality of the site? How can two houses be equal yet assert their individuality at the same time? How can two houses correspond, talk, communicate and engage each other? The three questions were engaged by implementing spatial, volumetric, visual, material and textural "interlocks."

VS Houses / Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos - Windows, Facade

The houses look at the view of an old 60 feet high bamboo grove lining the creek 50 feet below and turn towards their courtyard. The double height space (living / dining areas) mediate the two. The exposed concrete structural skeleton provides the frame for the light filters: blue green translucent channel glass, aluminum louvers, powder coated grey perforated corrugated steel screen, fixed and operable blue green impact resistant glass and the weathering steel sliding gates.

VS Houses / Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos - Windows, Handrail

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Cite: "VS Houses / Ramírez Buxeda Arquitectos" 04 Sep 2008. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/5317/vs-houses-ramirez-buxeda-arquitectos> ISSN 0719-8884

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