fkb arquitectos' casa en santa monica formed of intersecting concrete volumes

fkb arquitectos’ casa en santa monica formed of intersecting concrete volumes
image © federico cairoli
all images courtesy of fkb arquitectos

‘casa en santa monica’ is a single family residence meant for temporary use but fitted to accommodate permanent living for a family with two children. located in cordoba, argentina, and designed by local studio fkb arquitectos, the home departs from the vernacular present in the suburban setting and explores a markedly different approach to designing an energy-passive, low maintenance home. board form concrete was chosen as the primary structural material for its durability and strength, requiring very little maintenance and also able to negotiate the sloping site without the need for reinforcement. two volumes comprise the design, oriented to traverse the natural grade of the site facing a river which delineates the extend of the property. 

image © federico cairoli

the vertical form begins at grade, extending a green roof born from the ground that extends towards the sky which houses the private bedrooms. projecting horizontally from this form hovering slightly above the ground two slender concrete planes frame an open terrace connected to the social living areas. shaded by the deep eave and operable steel screens and glass walls, the interior of this space acts as a buffer area which helps to maintain steady temperatures. the home is oriented to take advantage of sunlight to heat the spaces but also contains calculated openings in order to cross ventilate and naturally cool the inside. a wood burning fireplace in the living area utilizes the structures thermal mass to efficiently warm the space as well.

view from the river
image © federico cairoli

retracted steel screens open the living areas to the exterior
image © federico cairoli

image © federico cairoli

interior of living area enjoys panoramic views of its surroundings
image © federico cairoli

the seep eaves shade the terrace protecting the conditioned space from excessive solar heat gain
image © federico cairoli

view towards the kitchen and bedrooms beyond
image © federico cairoli

a green roof extends the entire length of the rooftop deck
image © federico cairoli

image © federico cairoli

closed screens provide more privacy
image © federico cairoli

image © federico cairoli

floor plans /rooftop deck (above) level 0 (below)

sections and elevations

project info:

title: casa en santa mónica
location: santa rosa de calamuchita, córdoba, argentina.
commission and design: march 2013
completion: 2015
collaborators: diego peralta y andres chaer
equipamiento fijo: en bruto estudio de diseño
lighting design: maestre iluminación
landscape design: ing. agrónomo gustavo re
structural calculation: ing. edgar morán
lot area: 1000,00 m2
built area: 195m2
photography: arq. federico cairoli