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Architects: AGRA Anzellini Garcia-Reyes Arquitectos
- Area: 109 m²
- Year: 2016
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Photographs:Claudia Quintana & Martin Anzellini
Text description provided by the architects. On the outskirts of Bogota and other cities and towns in Colombia, particularly in temperate zones, more and more houses are rising as holiday or second homes for city dwellers. This represents an interesting opportunity for architects but, above all, a challenge because these constructions have an important impact on the rural landscape and on local culture.
With this in mind, the concept of this project is to return to the values of local vernacular building techniques and architectural typologies. The House in Apulo -following the principles of the constructions of the region-, has a double cover: the first one in concrete slabs to close the rooms and to protect from bats and insects and the second, as a shell for living, dining and cooking areas. The roof structure to shape the entire interior space is in laminated pine wood with bamboo shoots and locally obtained Palma Amarga or Calicá palm. The beautiful “Apretado” (Tightened) type ofinstallation of palm leaves is resistant to hard winds, isolates from heat and can easily be replaced every 15 to 20 years when needed.
Next to each one of the dormitories there is bathroom, with an open-air shower overlooking the garden. There is also a mezzanine, above the dormitories, which is accessed by a steep steal sculpture-stair.
The result is a simple house that offers different alternatives of use and, in the landscape, it is simply a discrete “palm shed" as any peasant dwelling in the region.
