Cincopatasalgato have designed a summer house in San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador.
Project description
El Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America, currently experiencing the highest crime rates. The pre-existing conservative system and traditional ideology rooted in Latin America prevails in the country, which is clearly reflected in the urban landscape.
Although El Salvador is blessed with a wonderful volcanic landscape it is not common to enjoy it from residential buildings that tend to display very introvert structures. Freedom regarding aesthetics is still naturally questionable.
Inside a protected complex, la Piscucha is located in the top a hill at the end of a street privileged with captivating views of the city, San Salvador volcano and the pacific coastline. The main view faces the west, which receives the harshest sunlight.
Interested in enjoying the surroundings of the site and the sunlight, the house owner is a musician and a photographer who was unconcerned about living in an unconventional Salvadorian house. Besides enjoying the daylight natural outdoors they pointed out their attraction to small and sheltered spaces.
There was a particular wish, the house had to evoke the feeling of being on vacation. The house demanded to be a scape from an overcrowded city without losing the feeling of being an inviting space. Aware of environmental issues he requested a house with maximum green considerations.
By engaging the living experience of the house with the views of the surrounding landscape and preserving the feeling of protection we were inspired by “La Palapa”, a vernacular open-sided dwelling with a thatched roof made of dried palms still used in El Salvador houses usually near water bodies. At a Palapa private spaces work as independent shells from the extended leaf roof that covers the wholesome of the structure. Protecting its solid interiors from the tropical rains, la Palapa gives the feeling of being outside while the user is inside.
The house would have to gradually disappear to erase the transition between outdoors and indoors. A continuous and modulated space is shaped through a series of checkered decks and patios defined by full heights guiding the user through the space.
As an analogy of the overall space, the entrance wall physically divides the outside and inside of the space and still works as a receptive object pulling the user into the voids of the house.
The house connection with the outdoors is also maintained by the use of natural and reclaimed building materials layered throughout the natural light of the building. Incorporating all outdoor areas, the small gaps between walls and roof laid out for cross-ventilation on every space, which is sufficient enough to never have to use air conditioning.
The freestanding roof wraps the whole structure and also deflects the excess of direct sunlight through the folding overhanging roof and protected spaces. A rainwater collection system in conjunction with grey water filtering and recycling allows the structure to become self-sufficient.
Since the final completion La Piscucha it has been subject of contrasting opinions. It’s no surprise that many Salvadorians are intimidated by the extravagant exterior look of the house. Visitors have manifested nevertheless the warm comfort of its interiors and its simple forms.
It’s a sort of reminder of the concept of a cave, closed and linked to a hall opened to the exterior
Design: Cincopatasalgato
