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Architects: Marlene Ortiz, Florencia Fernández, Fernanda Garicoche
- Year: 2021
Text description provided by the architects. A way of life. Life in the old Paraguayan houses took place in the intermediate spaces that were unique to them. Sheltered from the light but in contact with the open air that circulated, the gathering and the round of tereré took place peacefully. Everything happened in the gallery, reminiscences of a time past under the trees.
In a neighborhood near the civic area of Fernando de la Mora, a consecutive city to Asunción, a vacant plot of land measuring 50m x 23m with mature trees casts precious shadows over the site. The request to configure 8 single-family homes adds to the challenge of preserving the trees.
Returning to ancestral wisdom, where the line between the outside and the inside blurs and the garden is conceived in the continuity of everyday spaces, or is it the other way around? The proposal of gardens intrinsic to the home and the narrow width (6.60m) for each unit determine the structure that will qualify, condition, and enable living. Natural light intermingles in the spaces and ventilation fills them with freshness.
Finally, 3 courtyards alternate and give rise to the social areas on the ground floor, while on the upper floor, the bedrooms are organized taking advantage of their benefits. Spatial continuity extends throughout the entire plot. The structure proposes its liberation by removing the pillars from the boundaries.
Fully opening the enclosures of the central courtyard completes the integration of the garden with the home. The living room is maximized while integrating with the kitchen and dining room. The continuity with the rear patio provides comfort and optimizes the function of the elements that surround the barbecue. The culinary space is doubled, the dining room and the patio are unified, creating a large living room, a large dining room. Upstairs, the more introverted spaces remain connected to the tree, enjoying the views, natural light, and breezes.
One house, eight houses. The housing complex is positioned with a 50m frontage to the city. The decision to unify the facade and follow the slope of the street responds to the intention of building a unity, each house as part of a whole. "Casas Jardines" presents itself as an urban gesture that seeks to integrate with the surroundings and contribute to the quality of public space. Understanding an environment where the dimensions of the sidewalks are not generous and walking can be a bit uncomfortable, the setback is increased, creating a space for the city. This decision seeks to improve pedestrian permeability and create a more friendly environment for residents and passersby. An urban gesture that sings to integration, to harmony between public and private space. Casas Jardines celebrates a way of life that merges with nature and with the traditions of Paraguay.
