CHALLENGE: Maintain the view of the sea using the highest level of the land, making possible vehicular and pedestrian access through ramps.
SOLUTION: Taking advantage of the topography of the lot, a house is designed that supports a large part of its main structure on the natural terrain and leaves the entire front of the house cantilevered, creating a unique panoramic view with internal gardens that integrate with the landscaping design of the project..
La Cima is a 340 m2 house, located in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta at a height of 1800 meters above sea level. Its location responds to the idea of projecting a construction that is integrated into the landscape without altering the conditions of the existing natural environment and where the direct view of the sea is predominant. For this reason, it is oriented at 65 ° to the west with a direct view of the city of Santa Marta and El Rodadero; In the east-west direction, the mountains of the sierra can be seen, which serve as an enclosure together with the vegetation to generate privacy for the social and terrace areas.
In the project, the natural environment is understood as an envelope of the space, so the slope of the land is used in the north direction to generate a double height area, from where the user can enjoy a 180 ° view of the landscape; only 5% of the topography is intervened and no existing trees are affected. The materials selected for the construction are mostly locally sourced and low maintenance, such as natural stone used for facades and driveways and teak wood for interior cladding.
The structural system, made up of PVC and concrete profiles, also complies with sustainable manufacturing processes since they are 100% recyclable products and with minimal environmental footprint rates during their manufacture. In turn, to ensure energy efficiency in the home, solar panels are arranged on the roof capable of generating 100% of the energy necessary for the normal operation of the space. At a formal and functional level, the design is generated under the premises of sustainability, it considers the characteristic climate of the area and the sunlight to thermally regulate the interior of the house. Under the concept of greenhouse effect, the large glass facades are used that allow solar radiation to enter the interior, which is stored in floors, walls and objects, thus generating warmer environments at night. Additionally, mechanical skylights are projected on the roof to ensure cross ventilation in the upper part of the house when the prevailing breezes from the north enter.
