REIMS 502: Throughout the years, Mexican cities had experimented urban and regulation changes -sometimes unplanned- due to the demand of living spaces, creating a void and density difference between the downtown neighborhoods and the outside suburbs.
On that basis, to live in community and recovering the public space to re-densify the city, have been the values and goals to share from our trench to deal with the uncontrolled urban growth. These concepts served as starting point to become reality this multi-dwelling building in the heart of Querétaro
Nearby the historic center of the city, Las Hadas emerges as one of the first apartments building placed in a neighborhood with single-family density. The building attempts to promote a new public initiative to change the land use in the area, opening the way to re-densification and reactivation.
With a narrow surface -where a house used to be -, the length of the site was exploited to design a four-story concrete building, formed by 100, 200 and 300-sqm housing units, where the last apartment crowns the building by occupying a double height story, allowing interesting views towards the front park and the city.
The building blends into its built and socioeconomic environment, by choosing a spatial distribution that stands out for its rhythmic, logical, and simple architecture, that would allow for a cost-efficient building, rich in atmospheric possibilities of space.
Las Hadas favors open and wide interior spaces, without affecting the privacy of each one of the inhabitants, by using artisanal-concrete lattices on lower levels and the integration of terraces and planters on main’s façade that works as filter between the street and the dwellings.
The material palette was defined by neutral and contemporary elements, being the exposed concrete a protagonist on the building’s language, chosen for its durability and timeless appearance whose green patina allows the building to age properly. This gray canvas is complemented by subtle accents of wood and steel, while contrasting with the lush greenery from the trees and gardens.
Each apartment’s layout is developed around the central patio, which maximizes daylight, ventilation, and communication between the access and the 3 housing units. This common area houses an olive tree that was planted in celebration of a new life for the property and the neighborhood.
One particularity of the project is the unique design and identity for each apartment, avoiding a copy-pasted floor plan. This characteristic is improved by the integration of private and public amenities that highlights the benefits of a shared-living system, showcasing a design alternative to urban density and land use issues.
