We imagined inhabiting the landscape in a contemplative way.
We believe in the need to preserve the surroundings, to not invade the view.
On the contrary, to rest in such a subtle manner that it seems as though we’ve always been there.
Casa Piedra is the gesture of assimilating a way of inhabiting in harmony with the environment. Where we assume the preexistence is the environment, and the desire is to contemplate. Therefore, the architecture and our intervention are merely the medium for a collective desire to inhabit a natural setting.
The project is located in a rural environment on the outskirts of Córdoba, in relation to the mountains, characterized by abundant native vegetation and stunning views of the mountain range.
With a steep slope, the rocky terrain forms the identity of the area.
A family home, a flexible space for collective sharing, a retreat to contemplate the vastness of the mountain.
To connect with the essential, with the small things that fill the soul, like waking up and contemplating the vast landscape, getting lost in the scent of the local flora, and embracing silence.
A large social space is designed that opens completely to an intermediate area between the landscape and the house. A large gallery that overlooks the mountain, with the extension of the kitchen that transforms into a barbecue area, the place of fire and gathering.
On the other hand, the individual and private program is developed. Like a mountain retreat, the program responds to the functional needs of bedrooms and bathrooms.
The insertion of the architectural object responds to a dialogue with the physical environment.
By understanding its levels and geological composition, thick stone walls are projected, which are embedded into the terrain.
These walls are built with the same stone from the site, with the idea that they seem to have always been there. These walls are also perforated to allow light to enter the space.
On top of them, two large concrete beams are placed, allowing flexibility within the program. Below these beams, a thin exposed concrete slab hangs, providing shelter and framing the views of the mountain.
The material responds to the language of the surroundings, a symbiosis between the existing and the new, an idea of wanting to be there forever.
These walls, which house the program inside and become perforated as they traverse the space, form the identity of the house along with the presence of concrete and technique. The architecture, in this case, technically responds to resolving the encounters and details that give it a unique and austere identity.
