Project: Arena House
Architects: ZIM arquitextura
Location: Pinamar, Argentina
Area: 2,260 sf
Year: 2023
Photographs by: Luis Barandiaran
Arena House by ZIM Arquitextura
The Argentine coastal house project embraces the unique topography of a sand dune, avoiding leveling and instead adapting the design to its natural slope. By partially burying the structure, it integrates with the dune, preserving the environment, reducing excavation, and minimizing environmental impact. The house features a terrace atop, providing a usable outdoor space with scenic views. This design approach enhances energy efficiency and visual harmony with the coastal landscape, offering a distinctive and eco-friendly living experience.
The project involves designing and constructing a house on the Argentine coast, specifically on a plot with a very particular topography. This terrain features a sand dune, a natural accumulation of sand common in coastal areas. Instead of viewing this dune as an obstacle, the project was based on harnessing this unique feature of the land to our advantage.
A detailed study of the terrain’s topography was conducted to understand how to integrate the dune into the house’s design. Rather than completely leveling the land, the decision was made to design the house to adapt to the natural slope of the dune. This not only preserves the natural beauty of the environment but also reduces the need for excavation and filling, thereby minimizing the project’s environmental impact.
The house is designed to adapt to the terrain’s unique topography, blending with the natural environment in a harmonious and functional manner. Instead of building on or completely leveling the dune, the house integrates with the dune’s natural slope. Part of the structure is buried in the dune, while another part rises above ground level. This strategy maximizes the available space and creates a usable outdoor surface on top of the house, which becomes an ideal area to enjoy views of the sea and the coastal climate.
The usable outdoor surface is a terrace that provides an outdoor space for recreational activities, entertainment, or simply for relaxation and enjoyment of the natural surroundings.
By partially burying the house in the dune, several benefits are achieved, including greater energy efficiency by utilizing the natural insulation provided by the surrounding soil. Additionally, the house visually integrates with the surrounding landscape, minimizing its impact on the coastal environment and respecting the natural beauty of the area.
In summary, the house on the Argentine coast creatively utilizes the dune as an integral part of its design, leveraging its unique topography to create a residence that harmoniously merges with the natural environment and offers an exceptional coastal living experience.
