Video: https://vimeo.com/283975334 Design (2015): Paz Arquitectura – Alejandro Paz Construction (2016-2018): CONARQ Structural Design: INEGSA Electrical design: PTS Hydraulic design: CONARQ Photography: Andres Asturias
La Cabañita seeks to integrate the natural environment of an area in the woods on the outskirts of Guatemala City, evaluating the proportions of space and integrating the outdoors with indoors in a particular way.
The original construction was bult in 1985. It was a small hut with a large cantilever exterior platform. It is built as a triangular steel frame with a joist structure in order to let the platform protrude over the steep terrain. At first it included only a small social area, a kitchen and a mezzanine to be used as a bedroom.
30 years later the owners asked for an extension with more spacious areas to adapt to their present way of life. In those 30 years the trees grew and vegetation took an important position.
The design strategy was to value the original construction according to its approach to space, and endurance of its architecture. In order to provide one additional bedroom and a new social area, two modules were located on each side of the original. An interstice was left between each of them adapting to the topography, so the 3 modules are not parallel amongst them. The connection between them is through a completely transparent passage to emphasize the connection with the woods and be able to view it throughout.
The roof over the 2 new modules have the same angle as the original but in an inverted position obtaining a new identity inspired in the original. The transparent passageway’s roof is a very thin concrete slab to emphasize the lightness of the glass and preserve the importance of the 3 modules.