EGL1916

Project Description

A five-storey project was designed at the heart of the Colonia Americana, inspired by the industrial buildings of the interwar period. The main façade features an abstract rhythm of void and filled spaces that do not follow any structural order. The voids themselves have a second protective lattice evocative of similar lattices often used in the area by the Escuela Tapatia.

In the interior, a private courtyard structures the building’s connecting parts. This space, protected by high walls, contains a waiting area and is shaded by a pre-existing large tree.  A concrete tower houses the elevator and the stair ramps and completes the composition of the north elevation running along the full length of the corridors, generating different relaxation areas that function as viewing points.

The apartments are modular and, in their simplest form, start from a 60-square-metre studio. The units can be joined either horizontally or vertically. The structure of the building is designed to allow the elimination of walls and parts of the flat slabs, allowing for large lofts and double-height duplexes.

The building’s structure is made of concrete walls with brick formwork that result in the „cladding“ for both interior and exterior walls. In the interior, the apartments are arranged with a minimum of glass partitions, creating a strong contrast with the walls and floating pine flooring. Wooden tables with marble tops form improvised kitchens. The bathrooms, behind the glass partitions, are characterised by simple elements such as the triple showerheads with exposed copper and brass plumbing.

On the top floor, the penthouse is set apart by the recessed façades, generating a corridor around it protected by the overhang of the concrete roof, breaking up the final level of the façade. This particular unit with north and south-facing glass fronts is organised as a single centred module with the bathrooms, kitchen and laundry room.