Xafix House / Arkylab

May 04, 2014

Architects: Arkylab
Year: 2014
Manufacturers: B.lux, Cemex, Construlita, Helvex, Interceramic, Schneider Electric, VALVO

Text description provided by the architects. El sitio es un terreno regular de 12x25m en una zona alta al nor-poniente de la ciudad de Aguascalientes, con un frente oriente y con las características propias de esta región geográfica con un clima templado regular semi-seco y unos atardeceres privilegiados hacia el Cerro del Muerto.

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The site is a regular 12x25m field on a hill north-west of the city of Aguascalientes, with one facade facing east and with the characteristics of this geographical region, with a semi-dry and temperate climate, and privileged sunsets overlooking Cerro del Muerto.

The program responds to the needs of a family of 4. The program is zoned into levels, with the ground floor for social uses, the upper floor for bedrooms and services, and the roof for a working studio and a garden terrace.

The building is on the northern part of the property, freeing a garden to the south, which allows all areas of the house to overlook the garden and enhances the relationship between inside and outside. We generate a closed facade to the outside, displaying only vehicle and pedestrian access in a play of volumes offset from a vertical vertex that joins them.

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Inside, spaces are structured through a longitudinal axis, a double height space cut by a glass corridor that lets in light and turns itself into the spine from which to access each space of the program.

We take advantage of the site conditions to generate a study on a garden terrace that closes the views of the nearby built area, and opens them to the city on the east and sunsets on the west. Within this garden are perforations that bring in natural light to the intimate spaces of the master bedroom.

The construction system is based on polystyrene panel walls clad by exposed concrete cast in place, which gives high quality thermal and acoustic characteristics, avoiding the use of mechanical means for climate comfort, setting a materiality complemented by natural exposed elements such as wood or marble.