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Architects: DOMA
- Area: 256 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Ariadna Polo
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Manufacturers: Passion 4 Woods , Teka
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Lead Architect: Adriana David Ortiz Monasterio
Text description provided by the architects. How does architecture become a home? How does a house become a home? Providencia is like a refuge from the overwhelming parts of the city, yet it remains connected to its urban wonders. It is a protected volume, a home that welcomes you, and makes you feel safe and comforted, while simultaneously connecting with the surrounding nature. It offers small hideaways for contemplation, whether inward or outward-facing. At every point of the journey, there is a unique encounter; windows frame views of the natural environment, and openings connect with the same landscape.
Sometimes, the landscape enters the refuge, and the boundary between indoors and outdoors fades. These spaces act as transitions between each functional area of the home. The transitions are cushions of nature, light, water, and materials that age over time, becoming more beautiful each day. They are local materials, such as tiles, wood, clay, and stones from Mexico, which remind us of the land we inhabit, both in its natural territory and its mestizo craftsmanship.
Upon entering the house, especially after closing the pedestrian door from the street, the sensation changes completely. You step into a space of silence and tranquility. This first cushion is the welcome to the refuge, a space filled with light, shadows from the jacaranda tree, and greenery from large planters. The entrance maintains a window that connects both exteriors, allowing a direct view of the back garden.
Inside, you find the most public area of the house, first a family room—not too big and not too small—and then a dining room that directly connects with the open kitchen. It feels as if the dining room becomes part of the outside, blurring the line between indoors and outdoors. This extension of the landscape creates a sense of relaxation, allowing us to contemplate the vegetation and the creatures that approach without fear.
On this same floor, we find the kitchen, the heart of the home. It is a place of action, gathering, interaction, and catharsis. It is an open space, connected to the rest, visible from almost every angle, both inside and out. From the garden, you connect with the kitchen, and from the second-floor railing, you gain a different perspective.
As you ascend to the second level, your view gradually creates a clear perspective towards the kitchen, the center of the home, though a permeable wall allows you to see only fragments of the scene. Yet, the connection remains, ensuring the home feels unified, like a team. Allowing visibility between these two spaces creates a more democratic home as if all the characters in this story participate equally in building life together.
