Las Mercedes House 2

Las Mercedes House-Workshop / Lukas
Fster
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Lauro Rocha
Architects: Lukas Fster
Location: Valois Rivarola, Asuncin, Paraguay
Project Area: 137.0 m2
Project Year: 2012
Photographs: Lauro Rocha
Collaborators: Patricia Troche, Carla Bento da Silva

Client and construction company: Lukas Fster
Lauro Rocha
From the architect. The project for Las Mercedes House was to
intervene in a "sausage" house (Paraguayan housing typology where
all the spaces are interconnected and also linked to a common
intermediate space which is the gallery). This typology allows for
multipurpose spaces, expanding the diversity of uses that can be
given to the construction.
Lauro Rocha
The proposal adopts this spatial interconnectivity and enhances

it extending openings between spaces and heights, creating a single
space virtually separated from the pre-existence.
Lauro Rocha
The state of the house, built in the 1940s, was quite deplorable due
to the moisture from numerous leaks and a roof on the edge
of collapse due to the presence of cupi'i (termites) in the timber.
Plan
The intervention was to be done with a minimal budget (3 times lower

than the reference price per square meter) which implied the recovery
of materials, the reuse of all existing materials and the introduction
of recycled materials.
Lauro Rocha
We proceeded to disassemble the tile roof with care in order to reuse

the tiles and the timber (recovering the unaffected pieces). We
removed the plaster in the entire project except in the facade, to allow
the walls to breathe, and we demolished interior walls. The openings
were recovered entirely, also some floors. The facilities were redone
externally to avoid damaging the existing walls.
Section
The new roof was placed in the traditional manner of a tile roof,
except it forms half a paraboloid, in a gesture that extends the height
of the house, introduces natural light and creates a mezzanine and
access to a terrace / outdoor garden; without losing the spatiality of
the original house.
Lauro Rocha
This construction strategy is achieved with a "beam" of rods with

variable section. It also allows for light to enter indirectly, separated
from the roof of the original walls.
Scheme
The large space that is generated, which contains the entire housing
program (cook + eat + work + rest + sleep + bath) is divided only by a
rotating wall of recovered pallets of 2.40 x 2.60 m, containing the TV
to optimize the versatility of the space.

Lauro Rocha
Next to the old house, we built a space that contains the toilets,
laundry room and a study / workshop. This space is constructed with
dimensions set by the pre-existing building but in a contemporary
way. The roof is a concrete slab that acts as terrace / garden, the
exterior walls and floor are made of bricks recovered from demolition,
the glass panes come from discarded uses, and the only structural
pillar was made with reclaimed wood from demolition with a
constructive system that threads discarded wood in compression
with a 16mm rod prestressed by two reinforced concrete cylinders.
Lauro Rocha
The end result is a "sausage house" with spaces suited to a

contemporary lifestyle without discarding the genius loci in the
existing building and the surrounding landscape.
Gambier Island Retreat / BattersbyHowat

Architects
Sama Jim Canzian
Architects: BattersbyHowat Architects
Location: Gambier Island, Sunshine Coast F, BC, Canada
Project Team: David Battersby, Heather Howat, Tillie Kwan, Cindy
Lee
Structural Consultant: Bevan-Pritchard Man
Photographs: Sama Jim Canzian
From the architect. Explorations of this steeply sloped, wooded site

overlooking a small private stone beach in Center Bay suggested a
switchback organization of spaces where the slope has been
extended and combined with a newly created meandering path that
offers an introduction to the site. This pathway purposefully links
together the architecture of internal rooms and outdoor spaces with
discoveries of the sites varied landscape features.
Sama Jim Canzian
One third of the space within the house, made up of guest rooms, an
office and the main entrance, is located at the lower level adjacent to
the base of an existing one storey rock embankment. The
overhanging mass of the building and its canted wall defines the main
entrance and creates a covered space for unpacking and packing a
familiar cabin ritual associated with those important moments of
arrival and departure.
Sama Jim Canzian
A vertical strip of glazing at the entry and lower stair landing captures
an extended view of a lone arbutus tree. Family spaces are located
on the upper level. The internal stair rises up alongside a central
concrete wall that extends the pre-existing rock embankment into the
houses internal landscape. This wall rises up to support cantilevering
roof rafters which counter intuitively support the ridge that is centered
over the hall leading to sleeping quarters along the back of the wall.

Sama Jim Canzian
Windows and sliding doors in the upper communal family areas

provide ventilation and frame the deck area with expansive southwest
water views, the foliage of the adjacent arbutus tree, and a vista of a
steep rock bluff adjacent to an outdoor terrace at grade.
Sama Jim Canzian
Continuation along the switchback pathway leads gradually up to

childrens bedrooms with intimate views into the rocky hillside and
finally to the master bedroom with its glazed end wall and
overhanging roof and walls framing the fragile landscape of a moss
and wildflower covered clearing.
Sama
Jim Canzian
Whistler Residence / BattersbyHowat
Architects
Sama Jim Canzian

Location: Whistler, BC V0N 1B0, Canada
Project Team: David Battersby, Heather Howat, Tillie Kwan
Structural Consultant: Equilibrium Consulting
Envelope Consultant: JRS Engineering Ltd.
Contractor: Need Brophy Services Ltd.
Area: 1050.0 sqm
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Sama Jim Canzian
Aquino House / Augusto Fernndez Mas

(K+A Diseo)
Architects: Augusto Fernndez Mas (K+A Diseo)
Location: Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
Architects: Augusto Fernandez Mas (K+A Diseo)
Collaborators: Edurne Turcott Unzueta, David Alba
Structural Engineer: Enrique Garcia
Landscape: Mario de la Garza & Daniel Aguilar
Woodwork: Fernando Acevedo
Area: 490.0 sqm
Project Year: 2006
From the architect. This single-family residence is located on a
steeped lot in front of federal government lands and aside a river; it
entailed a series of building and environmental restrictions. The
sloped terrain made retaining walls necessary, as well as a drainage
system to channel large amounts of rainwater.
The house is configured by orthogonal shapes and materials such as

wood, stone and metal without artificial claddings. It stands with no
protagonism against the rich and abundant surroundings.
A series of spatial and comfort requirements led to juxtaposed

concepts. The family wished for large open areas that could
somehow, blend with the nature around, bluring the lines between
"inside" and "outside". Another request was an isolated studio with
room for thousands of books, compact discs and LP's, which must
maintain related with the exterior.
Double heights appear in the living room and the library. Materials
remain simple with soft textures: calcareous stones, open pore
marbles, tropical woods, steel, glass and concrete.
The main intention was for each interior space to face the river or the
old amate tree, which is located towards east and has a 30 meter
extended foliage that appears to envelop the house.
The small pool of stone and its red cedar surrounding pavement
stands as the most intimate space concealed between the house and
one of the perimeter retaining walls.
The landscape was discreetly modified with punctual actions by Mario

de la Garza and Daniel Aguilar.
The vegetation includes different fruit species and centenary trees

which influenced several decisions regarding the main volume design
and its location.
Sama Jim Canzian
Located in a Whistler neighborhood halfway up the mountainside, this

house was designed for clients who appreciate the timber structure
characteristic of a Whistler Chalet, but desired a unique family home
for seven that would capture this ambience without its typical
organization and aesthetic.

Sama Jim Canzian
Situated in a prominent site, the visual mass of the structure was

diminished by making a substantial portion of the house appear to be
below grade through the strategic removal of bedrock, and by the
extension of the living room terrace over the garage. An upper
courtyard deck area was also carved in to the massing to gather light
centrally into the house. The result is a home that looks deceptively
modest in relation to the neighboring properties.
Sama Jim Canzian
The careful allocation of program allows for retreat zones for both
adults and children on the uppermost and lower floor levels
respectively. Privacy is also achieved through edited views from
within the home that capture the many distant mountain peaks along
with the immediacy of the rock and flora that embed the house in its
site.
The lowest level, which connects directly to grade, has a maze-like

disposition of private and communal spaces. Exposed concrete walls
bracket seamless wood lined alcoves that provide access to the
sleeping quarters and service spaces located on this level.
Sama Jim Canzian
The main floor is a large open room animated by multiple natural light
sources and varied views to the forest and mountains beyond. As on
the first floor, walls extend past corners obscuring the spaces sense
of containment. On the exterior, walls operate in a similar manner by
extending the perceived limits of the interior and cropping views to
control exposure and privacy.
Sama Jim Canzian
Standing seam metal roofing and black stained shingles clad the
main form of the structure. In contrast, recessed areas are lined with
clear finished red cedar, douglas fir beams and large planes of
glazing that bring warmth and light into the interior spaces.

Las Mercedes House 2

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Las Mercedes House 2

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Las Mercedes House-Workshop / Lukas

Collaborators: Patricia Troche, Carla Bento da Silva

The proposal adopts this spatial interconnectivity and enhances

The intervention was to be done with a minimal budget (3 times lower

We proceeded to disassemble the tile roof with care in order to reuse

This construction strategy is achieved with a "beam" of rods with

The end result is a "sausage house" with spaces suited to a

Gambier Island Retreat / BattersbyHowat

From the architect. Explorations of this steeply sloped, wooded site

Sama Jim Canzian

Windows and sliding doors in the upper communal family areas

Continuation along the switchback pathway leads gradually up to

Sama Jim Canzian

Aquino House / Augusto Fernndez Mas

The house is configured by orthogonal shapes and materials such as

A series of spatial and comfort requirements led to juxtaposed

The landscape was discreetly modified with punctual actions by Mario

The vegetation includes different fruit species and centenary trees

Located in a Whistler neighborhood halfway up the mountainside, this

Situated in a prominent site, the visual mass of the structure was

The lowest level, which connects directly to grade, has a maze-like

Sama Jim Canzian

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