MXTAD: Casa Ragu is built upon an irregular, sloped corner lot. These conditions were the base for the development of our first conceptual design pillar: a house projected in half-levels following the topography of the lot. The second conceptual pillar: developing all the spaces around a central patio, providing natural lighting, cross ventilation and views towards each other and the landscaped space, creating different atmospheres around the house without compromising privacy. Based on these conceptual axes, the house is designed in three volumes, vertically and horizontally dealigned, which follow the natural levels of the terrain with the intention of generating both interior and exterior transitions.TDue to the corner lot, we designed two facades, sharing similar elements and materials, but functionally very different between each other.
The main façade stands out for its volumetric simplicity and privacy, broken only by a metal lattice on the first level. This façade, if seen separately, gives the idea that the house is only two levels, however as the corner turns, the slope allows us to discover all the other spaces and levels. The side façade stands out for its transparency, achieved by glass, latticework, and a game of different materials.
An almost entirely closed volume and another one sectioned in order to create terraces are connected through a semi-transparent core of stairs all around the patio, the central axis and heart of the house.On the ground floor, this central patio serves as a connection for all public areas, regardless of the level or volume in which they are located, encouraging user interaction and space connections through interior and exterior transitions. The first level holds all the private and family areas of the house, following the same mid-levels concept in order to separate spaces, leaving the family tv room in the center and the bedrooms on the sides, visually divided by the patio. Finally, on level two, a studio/gym and a terrace were projected, seizing the best views available of the surroundings.The material selection is essential for the project, where different tones of stone and sober, even slightly cold finishes, are complemented by the warmth provided by the wood, the lighting proposal and the landscape, resulting in comfortable, versatile and timeless spaces.
