RESIDENCE
Location / Colina del Sol, La Paz B.C.S., Mexico
Lot Size / 300 m2
Client / Lucio Godinez
After my collaboration with the environmentalconsultancy Entre Dos Mares, I was asked by Lucio Godinez, the director, todevelop a design for a lot he owns in La Paz. I was asked to make the most ofthe ocean view at the northwest corner of the lot and for something with ageneric program for they will probably rent the house later on.
The site is in anew neighborhood and few houses are around at the moment, but the lots in thearea aren't big and the houses that have been constructedtend to have little or no garden space and move main areas upstairs to preventloosing their ocean views when the neighborhood develops further.
Location / Colina del Sol, La Paz B.C.S., Mexico
Lot Size / 300 m2
Client / Lucio Godinez
After my collaboration with the environmentalconsultancy Entre Dos Mares, I was asked by Lucio Godinez, the director, todevelop a design for a lot he owns in La Paz. I was asked to make the most ofthe ocean view at the northwest corner of the lot and for something with ageneric program for they will probably rent the house later on.
The site is in anew neighborhood and few houses are around at the moment, but the lots in thearea aren't big and the houses that have been constructedtend to have little or no garden space and move main areas upstairs to preventloosing their ocean views when the neighborhood develops further.
My solution was to close the house off from the southgiving it privacy from the street and protecting it from the coastal desert sunof Baja California Sur. I pulled the house away from the north and the westcreating an L shape to increase the viewing angle so all the living areas canopen towards the northwest without encountering the neighbor's fence.
The L shapehowever created a corner without access to the view; I left this corner withoutwall openings other than to the hallways and directed the view towards the skyplacing skylights between beams at a double height to create wind currentsthrough the circulation areas when the skylights are open.
I made eachliving area a crystal box and left the circulation areas as outdoor space toallow ventilation between and around the living areas. To keep the circulationareas from the rain and the crystal boxes from the sun; I proposed pouredconcrete awnings and chose concrete and local stone for bearing walls andthermal mass. Finally a pool at the northwest corner where all the spaces openunto will not only provide a pleasant view for the lower level should it everlose its ocean view, but will also cool the air that enters all the livingareas.
