ghezzi novak's residential design in peru references paracas textiles

heavily influenced by the fabric legacy of the paracas culture, ghezzi novak has designed the ‘textile house‘, located within the coastal area of paracas, in southern peru. the architects regard these specific cloths as a remarkable stimulus, and an opportunity to navigate beyond a merely formal pre-columbian narrative. the site’s allure resides in its unique archaeological heritage, desert landscapes and climate, factors that played an essential role to the design conception process.

fireplace
all images by iván salinero

after examining the textiles that the paracas culture left behind, ghezzi novak observed freedom and rigorousness. ‘freedom in the variety of shapes, colours, imagery and rigorousness in the sophistication of technique, detail, quality‘ the peruvian studio explains. with this in mind, the decision was made to treat the constructive system of the house as a textile: the concrete blocks are fibres weaved into a fabric that internally resolves technical and structural components to exploit its spatial and tactile qualities.

living room

the concrete blocks of the house create a cool and dim interior that contrasts with the intensely bright sunny exterior. the house includes an elevated outdoor terrace for social gatherings with connecting views to the desert and the ocean, with both the corner window and the pool facing the sunset in the bay. the ground level features a curved wall that hugs the indoor terrace, leading to the bedrooms. prevailing winds in this area blow vigorously from the south carrying dust and sand. the southward-enclosed layout and rough materiality protect the house from these intense winds, while both lateral planters in the upper level are intended to mitigate winds with grown vegetation. hermetic openings are also crucial to block sand from entering: airtight aluminium profiles are used for glazing and double-jamb wood frames for doors.

indoor terrace

lateral facade detail

lateral facade

indoor terrace

kitchen

corner window facing sunset in the bay

indoor terrace

outdoor terrace

ground and upper level plans

project info:

name: textile house
architecture studio: ghezzi novak
architectes: arturo ghezzi novak & gustavo ghezzi novak
collaborator: daniella dibos de tramontana
location: paracas, peru

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edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom