BAK arquitectos: casa franz
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first image
'casa franz' by BAK arquitectos, mar azul, buenos aires, argentina
image © gustavo sosa pinilla
all images courtesy of BAK arquitectos
argentinan firm BAK arquitectos, have once again retreated to the idyllic forests of mar azul, a summer escape from metropolitan buenos aires.
the firm's series of summer homes in the area, characterized by exposed concrete and uninterrupted glazing, have become a quiet presence in
the landscape. the architecture seeks to bring the richness of the earth into the habitable space. 'casa franz' continues this idea of 'domesticating' the forest,
while becoming a new exercise in subtractive architectonics. reinforced concrete takes on a visual lightness when long lines of glazing separate the
slate-colored planes, the site is embraced by the stark orthogonal decking when it wraps around the trees and the split level affords long uninterrupted
lines of sight into the woods. the space is dominated by social and gathering areas since the program called for an abundance of family space for the
couple and their grown children. helped by an impressive-looking double height ceiling, the small footprint stands to preserve the existing trees
on the site while maximizing the presence of natural light. the high window on the stairwell thus becomes an opportunity to feel the presence of the
landscape and diffuse daylight to the ground floor. these formal decisions make the relaxed summer home feel unassuming while still powerfully
tied to the landscape.
the steeply sloped site gives the two storey house privacy from the nearby road
a square floor plan allows the structure to lean into the slope
almost every room in the house comes into contact with the sloped soil
two large pine trees become the protagonists of the architectural narrative
two bedrooms, while pragmatically small, open up widely to the landscape with generous glazing
the wood grain of the concrete mold left striking patterns on the walls
the guest bedroom
(left): the double height building makes room for the trees
(right): the stairwell is allows users to inhabit the landscape while allowing for diffused light to the ground floor
the dining area becomes a large gathering space, expanded by the deck
a sense of strong horizontality is continued in the kitchen
the house relaxes the line between interior and exterior
ground plan level 0
floor plan level 1
(left): short section 1
(right): long section 2
elevation northeast
elevation northwest
project info:
location: mar azul, villa gesell, province of buenos aires, argentina
architects: maría victoria besonías, luciano kruk.
collaborator: leandro pomies, nuria jover, enzo vitali
land area: 337 m2
built area: 87m2
construction year: 2010
