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Architects: Diseño Norteño
- Area: 175 m²
- Year: 2016
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Photographs:Lorena Darquea
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Manufacturers: AutoDesk, CASTEL, Dunn Edwards, Expo Stucco, Leviton, Trimble
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Lead Architects: Mauricio Kuri, Óscar González
Text description provided by the architects. A residual lot originated from a subdivision of a big orthogonal property and the intersection of two diagonal streets generated a small triangular lot with very low commercial value and interest. What others would see as a disadvantage in shape and function, we saw had a huge potential. The lots of unique shapes triggered the initial ideas, which from the start, dictated that the design would be different from the neighboring houses.
The acutest corner of this triangular shape was designated to vehicular use, allowing an easily accessed driveway through both streets. At ground level, a closed volume works as the structure for the first floor, freeing the floor plan and joining the patio with the public program in an open concept erases the boundary between indoor and outdoor, generating a space enjoyable throughout most of the year thanks to the Californian weather.
On the second floor, a volume crosses the site through, containing the private areas of the house, formed by perimeter bearing walls which have a 4.5 meters span through the whole volume, enabling the use of lightweight partitions that allow a more flexible use through the building’s lifetime.
The stair, an adhered plane to the east facade, connects both volumes internally then transitioning to an outdoor staircase that leads to the roof, conditioned to work as a rooftop terrace taking even more advantage of the outdoor space in the lot’s constricted space. Since the neighborhood stands in one of the top hills of the city the panoramic views reach the Pacific Ocean.
The most interesting part of this project is that a 180 sqm lot was able to host a total of 175 sqm of construction, with an additional 190 sqm of livable outdoor space, respecting the scale of the built environment. The low cost of the lot together with the simplicity of the structure and construction details allowed a lower sale price for the property, therefore attracting younger demographics for the area, contributing to a community diversification.
