luciano kruk's concrete dwelling in argentina maintains airy, open feel

inspired by the clean concrete aesthetic of his father’s home, architect luciano kruk has designed a concrete dwelling that maximizes natural light sources and mono-materiality. the client’s personal desires were translated into the scheme, which is located in maschwitz, buenos aires. ‘mach house’ has square floor plan, defined on either side by concrete walls. the front and rear façades are studded with windows and shielded by concrete cantilevers — creating a generous axial view from the front to the back of the home. the open plan and vegetation-filled interior courtyard also add to this overall feeling of openness, despite the heaviness of the structure’s primary material.

‘mach house’ is located in maschwitz, a suburb north of buenos aires
all images by daniela mac adden

the living areas of the home are organized on a three-by-three orthogonal grid, with the interior courtyard as the center-most space. luciano kruk designed this central space as a natural oasis with raw terrain, vegetation, and a reflecting pool. both the internal and external water features reflect sunlight, creating an intricate series of light effects throughout the day. the home’s glazed windows, water features, and planted vegetation also create a calm and intimate atmosphere within.

the plot’s terrain was free of all vegetation, a crucial element of the design

the structural framing, visible throughout the design utilizes double glazed, dark bronze anodized aluminum. to generate enough privacy for the dwellers, a reflecting pool separates the house from the street and aquatic plants shield the bedroom from other parts of the home. the rear of the house is endowed with long views of an exuberant grove. with the potential that these views may be reduced by the continuous growth of the neighborhood, large glazed sliding panes can be used to manipulate the relationship between the rear gardens and the home’s interior.

the client wanted a concrete home with an open plan and central courtyard

the client also requested the minimum square footage

the single floor dwelling allows light to pass through the interior from the front and rear of the home

the central courtyard’s vegetation shields the bedroom from the rest of the space

carefully placed walls and vegetation supply certain portions of the home with more privacy

because of the materiality and design of the home, air easily flows throughout the interior

portions of the home are equipped with below-floor heating systems 

the structure’s side walls are mostly ‘blind’ to control the amount of natural light and heat entering the interior

the house’s interior spaces are organized on a three-by-three orthogonal grid

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project info:

principal architect: luciano kruk
project manager: ​arch. ​belen ferrand
collaborator: ​arch. ​josefina perez silva, ​arch. ​andres conde blanco, alice salamone, isabelle ducrest, denise andreoli, dario cecilian
​photography: daniela mac adden
land area: 865 square meters
built area: 142 square meters

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