Además Arquitectura Encloses Buenos Aires House with Concrete Wall

Casa Alba II is a 248-square-metre concrete residence designed by Argentina’s studio Además Arquitectura. It sits in the Ezeiza-Canning suburb of Buenos Aires.

The project is anchored by a rounded perimeter wall that curves around the site. This wall acts as both a boundary and a spatial organizer.

The wall shapes views, light, and movement while providing privacy. It also redefines the home’s relationship to the city.

Drawing on the legacy of Luis Barragán, the house embraces an inward-focused interior. The interior is precise and filled with light, shaped by geometry and carefully placed openings.

Casa Alba II: A Perimeter Wall as the Architectural Centerpiece

The rounded perimeter wall is the main architectural feature. It both encloses and creates space across the 0.3-acre lot.

By curving around the corner, the wall balances public exposure with private life. It guides daylight into the home and frames exterior views.

The wall’s material honesty and restraint respond to climate and light as well as form. The design appears as a quiet, urban sculpture.

This inward focus creates a controlled atmosphere. Openings are carefully placed to balance exterior views with interior calm.

Spatial Strategy: Public-Private Axis and Diagonal Volumes

The house’s volumes run diagonally to the street and face north–south. A central intersection divides public and private spaces.

Three private bedrooms are on the west side. Living, dining, and kitchen areas form an open-plan zone connected to the garage and a semi-covered porch to the north.

The central axis organizes movement and separates social spaces from private sleeping zones.

• Exposed concrete construction creates material continuity and clarity.
• Dark floors and furniture highlight the play of light, shadow, and texture.
• The semi-covered porch expands the living area toward the north.
• The central axis separates public and private areas, guiding movement and views.

Materiality, Light and Atmosphere

The house is built almost entirely of exposed concrete, emphasizing a unified palette. The monolithic form creates a tactile experience with rough textures and crisp lines.

Openings are carefully designed to control light and maintain privacy. Dark furnishings contrast with bright concrete, creating a calm and sophisticated environment inspired by Barragán.

Environmental Strategy: Passive Cooling, Light and Air

The perimeter wall reduces solar exposure and supports passive cooling. Large windows let in indirect light.

Mirrored north and south patios enable cross-ventilation across a rectangular pool. The pool also acts as a thermal mass to help stabilize interior temperatures.

The concrete moderates heat during cooler months, creating a balanced indoor climate. This approach shows how design can provide comfort without mechanical systems.

• Mirrored patios promote cross-ventilation across the pool.
• The pool’s thermal mass enhances comfort.
• The concrete helps regulate indoor temperatures year-round.
• Indirect lighting keeps the interior bright while reducing glare.

A Refuge within an Expansive Domestic Scale

Completed in 2024, Casa Alba II is a refuge within an expansive domestic environment. This is achieved through precise geometry, structure, and careful placement of openings.

The project uses a restrained material palette and a disciplined architectural logic. These choices respond to the climate, site, and program.

Casa Alba II shows how one architectural gesture—the perimeter wall—can shape light, air, privacy, and social life. The result is a coherent and emotionally resonant home.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Además Arquitectura encloses Buenos Aires house with wall for “introspective approach”