Concrete House / Atelier Garcia

Architects: Atelier Garcia
Area: 120 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Mateo Soto
Manufacturers: ALUCLASS, Konkretus
Category: Residential Architecture, Houses
Design Team: Atelier Garcia
Lead Design Team: Clara Arango, Orlando Garcia
Town: Guatapé
Country: Colombia

Concrete House, a residential project by Atelier Garcia, stands at the tip of a hill as a concrete plinth and roof overlooking the Rock of Guatapé and the surrounding reservoir, serving as both a belvedere and a shelter within the mountain. The triangular floor plan follows the angular topography, organizing movement along three axes and unfolding the spatial experience in three stages: a solid plinth integrated with gardens, a transparent upper level framing distant views, and an open-air, habitable roof. Private areas occupy the lower level within a solid mass opening to sloped gardens and forest, while the social space above is a single room supported by three pillars: a triangular fireplace, a rectangular column with pantry and refrigerator, and a rounded staircase with a skylight. An organic path leads to a bridge and a circular roof terrace with uninterrupted 360-degree views of the reservoir, while the interplay of geometries creates an abstract structure that offers diverse spatial experiences and evolving connections with the landscape.

A concrete plinth and roof stand at the tip of a hill, overlooking the Rock of Guatapé and the surrounding water reservoir. This configuration can be interpreted both as a belvedere facing the horizon and as a shelter embedded within the mountain. The angular topography shapes the triangular floor plan, resulting in three axes that organize spatial movement.

The spatial experience within this compact house is defined by three stages or interactions with the landscape. First, a solid plinth is nearly integrated into the topography and closely linked to the gardens. Second, a transparent upper level projects outward, framing distant views of the landscape. Third, the design features an open-air, habitable roof. Private and quiet spaces are located on the lower level, enclosed within a complex solid mass that opens to the sloped forest and gardens.

In contrast, the social area consists of a single, expansive room supported by three visible pillars, each featuring a distinct geometry: a triangular fireplace, a rectangular hollow column that houses the refrigerator and pantry, and a rounded staircase crowned with a skylight. An organic path connects to a bridge, which leads to a circular roof terrace offering uninterrupted 360-degree views of the reservoir scenery.

The overlapping of different geometries results in an abstract construction that creates diverse spatial experiences and distinct relationships with the landscape. This intersection of varied geometries forms a structure that offers a range of spatial experiences and varied connections with the surrounding environment.