A designer and an art director create a laid-back family residence with three patios, a new level, and a combination of granite, wood, and metal.
Argentinian designer Analía Espiga and art director Julián Romera had been looking to move for some time, yet the kind of property they wanted seemed elusive: a place right in the middle of Buenos Aires that had weekend-home vibes, space for his-and-hers offices, and a sensible price tag.
Architects Carlos Cottet and Victoria Iachetti of Cottet Iachetti transformed an old house in the quiet Agronomía neighborhood of Buenos Aires into a white-walled residence with straight lines and strategically placed windows.
Photo: Javier Rojas
They sometimes wondered if their wish list was attainable. Then, their school-aged son, Félix, began playing sports in a neighborhood called Agronomía, an off-the-radar, quiet area some 30 minutes away from trendier destinations like Palermo or Villa Crespo. “While looking for parking near the sports club my son went to, the neighborhood came into focus,” says Julián, who works on films and commercials. “It’s one of the last remaining pockets of low-lying houses, full of greenery thanks to Agronomía Park and the university of agricultural sciences.”
The heart of the home is a spacious kitchen, built under the existing bovedilla ceiling—a method of construction that was popular in the region in the early 20th century, with rows of shallow brick walls set between exposed steel beams.
Photo: Javier Rojas
Soon enough, they saw a for-sale sign outside a modest one-story house built sometime in the early 20th century. Although it wasn’t architecturally significant, the home had a nice set of patios and a traditional bovedilla ceiling, consisting of rows of lightly arched brick vaults between metal beams. And the price was right, leaving enough in their budget for a renovation.
A view of the staircase leading up to the second floor, where the architects built a home office for Julián Romera, an art director, as well as a primary suite and a bedroom for the couple’s son, Félix.
Photo: Javier Rojas
See the full story on Dwell.com: Their Buenos Aires Home Is a Master Class in Mixed Materials
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