Excerpt: San Vicente House by Estudio 87 Arquitectura is a minimalist residence designed for privacy and connection with nature. Organized around interior courtyards, it balances enclosure at the front with openness at the rear, maximizing views of the landscape. The design emphasizes simplicity, natural materials, and seamless indoor-outdoor integration, creating a fluid and harmonious living experience.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] The design takes into account various conditions for its placement and operation. It proposes a sober and discreet architecture, almost imperceptible, conceived from raw and natural materials. The idea was to generate a volume perforated by interior courtyards, reconstructing a virtual prism within which the dwelling unfolds.
The house program is enclosed towards the street and opens generously at the rear towards an indeterminate clearing, prioritizing views towards a golf course. The response towards the front and the lateral boundaries, which face adjacent plots, was to fold the house in upon itself through its courtyards. Pure forms encapsulate all activity within a “box”. All living spaces are connected to one or more interior courtyards.
At the center is the entrance with its internal courtyard, the gravitational center of the project and the link to the exterior. Completely distinct programs are developed on either side of this space. On one side, all basic functions for the owners are located, while on the other, the complementary needs are met. The slab above the main living-dining area is elevated from the rest of the house, allowing the central areas to be naturally lit, as well as the spaces at the ends.
Moving through the clear circulation of the house becomes a perceptible aesthetic experience. It is a journey through courtyards with varying spatial scales. There is a deliberate search for continuity and connection between different functions and interior views: “from the house, one sees the house.”
The landscaping treatment follows the lines of the golf course without interruption, minimizing the differences between the private and the vast exterior space.
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