guillermo fisher adds central patio to cantilevered house in bogotá

located in a neighborhood in bogotá, colombia, mostly occupied by residential houses, ‘casa lópez’ by local architect guillermo fisher sits on the limit of its plot in order to generate a back garden where the existing trees were preserved. referencing the roman patio typology, the house is also an example of contemporary latin american architecture, with its mix of concrete and wood, as well as a cantilevered second level with a terrace that overlooks the street.

the internal patio acts as the central geometrical point of the house

encompassing a total of 400 square meters, this house by colombian architect guillermo fisher has a rectangular concrete shape with an internal patio that hosts a magnolia tree, acting as the central geometrical point. this central space is conformed by a metallic jalousie that references the traditional mozarab homes, allowing views of the whole space and the people who occupy it. this area also works as a natural illumination system as well as a thermosiphon that regulates temperature, as the glass doors can be opened, creating ventilation.

natural illumination is possible thanks to this subtraction

the street façade protects the interior with a concrete eave on the first floor and flowerpots on the second one. the side façades, much more closed, have a zig-zag texture, resembling a textile drape that generates a game of light and shadow throughout the day. when commenting on the design of the house, fisher says, ‘when you work with concrete it’s impossible not to think about louis kahn and his mix of this material and wood.’

floor-to-ceiling sliding doors create the ventilation system

a concrete staircase has wooden panels, softening is heavy appearance

the second floor hosts the four bedrooms

the living room used modernist furniture and colors for accents

wood contrast with the overall concrete feeling

the central patio has a skylight

a magnolia tree sits in the center of the pation

the principal bedroom has a terrace overlooking the back garden

view from the street

a cantilevered terrace floats on top of the living room

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