Moon House | Green Mecano

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Moon House | Green Mecano

Information

  • Completion year: 2024
  • Gross Built up Area: 225 m2
  • Project Location: Rionegro, Antioquia
  • Country: Colombia
  • Lead Architects/Designer: Alejandro Forero
  • Design Team: Alejandro Forero – María José Lopera
  • Clients: Lucas Arnau
  • Engineering: Andres Londoño
  • Structural Consultants: José Caceres
  • Landscape Consultants: Alejandro Forero
  • Project Manager: Andres Londoño
  • Interior + Furniture: Alejandro Forero
  • Photo Credits: Daniel Velez
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Excerpt: Moon House by Green Mecano is a floating structure set in a sloping landscape, designed as a scenic viewpoint overlooking the San Nicolás valley. Built using a braced metal framework characteristic of Mecano construction, the residence harmonizes with both its functional requirements and the natural terrain. Composed of interconnected modules linked by cascading terraces, the design seamlessly integrates with the surroundings.

Project Description

Moon House | Green Mecano
Overhead image from the access wall © Daniel Velez

[Text as submitted by architect] Located in the high mountains of Tablacito, an hour from Medellín, in Rionegro, this floating house is set in an environment characterized by its sloping topography and natural landscape, becoming a viewpoint house with views of the San Nicolás valley. The lot has very limited flat land and significant restrictions due to required setbacks, which poses a considerable challenge for the design and construction.

Moon House | Green Mecano
Access façade showing the floating decks © Daniel Velez
Moon House | Green Mecano
Floor Plan © Green Mecano
Moon House | Green Mecano
Concrete wall and burned wood façade © Daniel Velez

The challenge of this project was to design a house for a musician, envisioning it as a large open and connected space. For this reason, a dwelling was proposed that responds to both the program and the topography, through a succession of modules connected by overlapping terraces.

Moon House | Green Mecano
Access wall illumination © Daniel Velez
Moon House | Green Mecano
Elevation © Green Mecano
Moon House | Green Mecano
Double porpoise chimney © Daniel Velez
Moon House | Green Mecano
Section © Green Mecano
Moon House | Green Mecano
Japanese shoji doors © Daniel Velez

To bring this vision to life, the architects employed the Mecano structure, a braced metal framework that optimizes the use of steel and speeds up the construction process. This technology allowed them to approach the project with greater agility and dynamism, as the entire structure arrives ready at the construction site and only needs to be braced and assembled like a set of Legos, thus optimizing the construction process on such challenging terrain.

Moon House | Green Mecano
Patio as the hall of the house © Daniel Velez
Moon House | Green Mecano
Integration with landscape © Daniel Velez

The final result is a house that completely respects the existing topography and integrates harmoniously with the environment. The architects believe that the house is conceived as a floating viewpoint, taking advantage of its views and context to enrich the experience of living.

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