This residence for a family of five sits in a lot of 2,030 square meters located in a small valley south of Guaynabo City, in Puerto Rico. The suburban development in which this contemporary house is embedded exhibits dense vegetation with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. The main design objectives were to respond to these views, take special advantage of the existing topography, maximize cross ventilation, and use solar orientation to minimize energy consumption. With this in mind, a north-oriented courtyard scheme was developed for the residence.
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The house was fragmented by each program into different geometric volumes connected between each other, which not only respond to their functions and spatial characteristics but also react to the distant and immediate relationship with the exterior. For example, a cylindrical volume housing the living room, expressing its formality with its double height space and its glass curtain wall, curves in response to the 180 degree view of the mountains. In addition to the use of the inherent characteristics of the lot as design tools, a strong effort was made to maintain the spatial continuity and openness between spaces emphasizing its modern tropical condition.
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