DREAL House / Emergentes Architectures Sàrl

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The house is set on a rectangular plot with a gently sloping terrain. With an imposing landscape panorama, it was decided to place all the interior rooms towards the west, to preserve the maximum views of the Pacific. The project is organized through the addition of five rectangular trapezoids juxtaposed with each other through a clear geometric form, to respond in the most effective way to the requested program.Text description provided by the architects.Before making any type of design proposals or conceptual principles for the project, the existing formal limitations were analyzed, which meant that the proposal was developed based on three conditions: the first is related to the internal regulations of the condominium. The second is related to the required program and finally the capacity of the local workforce to carry out the work. Through these three requirements, the project develops its architectural concept, its integration into the plot, its program, its exterior spaces, and its energy certification.The load-bearing structure, with a marked rhythm of reinforced concrete pillars, is the house's identifying expression and at the same time the one that organizes it spatially. The particularity of this design is that the transition spaces disappear thanks to the continuity between the surfaces using a free route thanks to the sliding doors and the mobile panels which allow us to configure the space according to the needs and activities.Renewable energy strategies are managed through biomass for heating, as well as the production and accumulation of electricity through photovoltaic panels and the recovery of treated water for the perimeter irrigation of the garden.The compact form of the volume and the materials that compose it, make it a project with sustainable characteristics. Passive principles are put into practice through strategies such as the use and control of solar radiation, thermal insulation, reduction of thermal bridges, and thermal inertia, among others. At the same time, some active principles are implemented such as low-consumption lighting and household appliances with class-A energy labeling, and heat pumps, among others.In addition, there is an upper terrace that provides views and protected space for rest, meals, aperitifs, or other activities. On the outside, in the same way as on the inside, a new floor is built with a continuous path, which projects from the street and then encircles the entire house.The materials used are adapted to the requirements of use, construction, and durability of the project. Reinforced concrete, in addition to providing a structural solution, provides the thermal inertia necessary for thermal control inside the house. The wood used in the interior of the house offers a warm atmosphere, as well as flexibility when it comes to reducing thermal bridges and executing construction details. On the other hand, the wood used in the exterior of the house has important dimensions considering the climatic inclemencies of the area.