This 140 square meters house is located in Ecuador and was conceived by AR+C architects as completely embedded into the natural environment. One has to be placed in front of the house in order to see it, as the flat roof looks like a platform covered with grass and blends in with the natural environment. The primary structure of the house consist of a perimeter contention wall and an air chamber that allows for thermal comfort inside, in all seasons. This air chamber has also the role of protecting the structure of the humidity generated by the hill that integrates the building. From a layout point of view, the house has an open plan living space with kitchen, dining room and living area, and two bedrooms that share a communal bathroom. All these rooms are placed towards the front of the building, to take advantage of the glazed facade that brings in natural light. Behind these primary spaces there are the storage or technical rooms, as well as a rectangular zen style garden under a skylight. The skylights allow for cross-ventilation of the house but also for direct access from the inside of the house to the roof platform, which is made via a wooden ladder. In terms of materials, the only visible facade is a mix of stone and concrete painted white, while the big glazed doors have thick wooden frames. The same materials are repeated on the inside, with a back wall covered in stone, white walls and hardwood floors.
This house is a perfect example of natural integration and minimum impact to the site.
The interior garden is separated from the living room by a row of potted plants, and it gives access to the roof garden through the rectangular skylight placed above.
The interior design is classical and elegant, with furniture in dark wood and leather. The oriental rugs delimit the dining and sitting area and emphasize the classical elegance of the space.
Inside the house, the weight of the vegetal roof is sustained by round white pillars.
