Narrow house

The house is built in a long and narrow plot in a quiet residential area in Madrid, unused for years due to its unusual proportions. It accommodates the floor plan requirements inside a volume only 4 meters wide, resulting in a thin and compact prism.  imagen subliminal imagen subliminal On each level small outdoor spaces are inserted, allowing for a rich spatial experience while keeping the necessary privacy in a dense residential neighborhood. This sequence encompasses a courtyard on the basement level, a garden with a swimming pool on the ground floor and a double-height terrace on the first floor expand and complement the tight interior of the house. Thus, the usual sequence of stacked levels is challenged and turned int... More

The Mask House is a two-storey dwelling that grounds its presence by embracing juxtapositional qualities in order to set an example for its neighbourhood which is undergoing a rapid gentrification. Located at the Roncesvalles Village, in the west end of Toronto, the project was designed and built respecting the narrow elongated trapezoidal site, the limited budget, the very restricted Zoning & By-laws, and of course a demanding brief from the client. Yet, the outcome brings vivid energy, inspires renewal, and suggests possibilities that design can offer.   The façade may challenge the viewer to speculate a direct relation between manners of the exterior and the interior, assuming alikeness of aesthetics with ethics in rega... More

The house gazes at the street and the neighbourhood through the eyes of the two symmetrical windows, punctured on the mass cantilevered above the main floor, which resembles a face sneaking forward. Located at the Scarborough Junction, in the east end of Toronto, it was created respecting the narrow site, the restrictive budget, and all the speculations. Despite all these limitations, the house is like a curious creature; it contaminates its surrounding, made of typical Torontonian infill houses, with livelihood and inspires the possibility of design which belongs to everyone and everywhere.The Gazing House originates from the two squares divided by the central circulation axis. This abstract formal system establishes a sense of order which... More

The building was designed to combine living and working functions in well separated areas, a task that was made easier by the topography and situation of the site that offered the possibility to create two different accesses on different levels. In spite of the narrowness of the constructable area (4.75m), the interiors were supposed to be spacious and generous. Actually, due to its proportions, in several rooms you may see the sun rise and set without even moving. Also, the relation between in and out was an important point, not only in terms of enjoying the garden and views but as an unobtrusive yet continuous interaction with life on the street. Large windows at ground level give the building a touch of weightlessness. Th... More