Ocal House / Jorge Ramón Giacometti Taller de Arquitectura

+ 13

Text description provided by the architects. When we were asked to build a 110m2 house with a minimum budget, in a hard to reach a place in the Ecuadorian mountains, we thought of reducing the project to its simplest form. Thus, we will raise it on pilotis (so as not to break into the topography) and protect it from water falling on the slope. In addition, we would elaborate on the whole structure and the building envelope with the least amount of materials.

Hence, we manufactured five modular porticos that covered the different program areas. We elevated from the ground with footings and concrete piles, orienting the volume towards the predominant views. We solved the porticos, beams and joists with eucalyptus slats; in addition to the envelope with tongue and groove staves of the same material. Finally, we placed recycled sheet metal furniture and metal profiles previously made in the workshop.

During the whole challenge, we tried to reduce the complexity of the construction system, minimize the number of displacements, and condense the execution time in five months. Within time, we created a complex element, closely related to its landscape.