TIM: Casa Guayubira was born as an experimentation with the boundary between public and private space. With a closed-off front and a central space that acts as the heart of the home, this project seeks to break with certain conventional standards characteristic of Argentine suburban homes, creating a small urban oasis.
One of the premises was to integrate exterior elements into the architecture, generating a symbiosis between the two. The C-shaped design emerges from the strategic location of the pool and chill-out area on one side of the lot, enveloping and creating an intimate and protected environment.
The "box above a box" concept is clearly evident: a lower strip forms the social area, while the upper strip is designated for the private area, supported by two strips in the opposite direction. The ground floor, comprised of the kitchen, living room, dining room, and pool room, features large openings that allow visual continuity between the interior and exterior. It also features a gallery that connects directly to the heart of the house. As mentioned above, this entire ground floor is closely linked to what happens in the pool and chill-out area.
Meanwhile, the upper floor, used as a relaxation area, cantilevers over the main entrance, creating a semi-covered vehicle parking area. The upper level features two bedrooms, the master suite, a foyer, and a laundry room.
The combination of concrete and Corten steel achieves an aesthetic and functional balance: while the concrete hides what is best kept out of sight, the movable sunshades allow for flexibility and communication with the surroundings.
One of the distinctive elements of Casa Guayubira is the use of semi-permeable Corten steel sunshades that filter natural light into the rooms, providing privacy both inside and around the pool area. These sunshades not only protect from outside views, they offer an interplay of light and shadow that enriches the sensory experience of the space and ultimately protects the home from the westerly heat that is so oppressive in the southern hemisphere.
Casa Guayubira is a synthesis of the architecture we champion in our studio.
