Articles by Antonia Cayupe

Twelve Tacoma by Toronto-based Aleph-Bau, stands out in a steady line-up of typical 19th century workers’ rowhouses in Toronto’s central Summerhill neighbourhood. The coloured brick facades and quintessential front porches of the neighbouring houses couch Twelve Tacoma in a local vernacular that both subdues and accentuates its modern qualities. This paradoxical sensation is born from the choice of materials: Twelve Tacoma’s white paint and corrugated aluminum cladding are distinctly elegant, crisp additions to an otherwise familiar neighbourhood aesthetic. Certain details—like the simple front railing and plexiglass awning over the door—mimic the ordinary signifiers of the neighbouring homes, but with a decidedly contemporary bent.

The operation should adapt the interior space of the apartment to a contemporary way of living, without major structural modifications. The strategy for this intervention was established on the idea of connecting two small-­scaled bedrooms so that social area could face the West, overseeing the river Tagus. The kitchen and the bedroom open up to a quiet courtyard, with a view over the urban gardens.

The client wanted a new extension which was of a similar size to the existing conservatory, but with a bit more climatic stability, a little less glare and more privacy whilst still retaining light and the relationship to their modest Dalston garden.  The clients were keen to embrace a unique design solution.

This is a project looking for another architectural alternative to the housing market located in the innovative cities that are currently being developed.

Located in a residential area in the northern part of Aguascalientes city, R+P house is developed for a family of 5, where 3 of them are pets.

The first request made by the resident of this apartment, was to have a minimalist environment, with references to Scandinavian architecture. She did not want many colors and not much information in the apartment. Architecture should speak for itself. The apartment originally had 2 bedrooms, and two bathrooms. With the changes made in the project, the master suite got bigger, and where the 2nd bedroom was, it turned into a large closet, which is a kind of entrance hall of the suite, and where the restroom is located. In the bathroom the idea was to join the 2 shower cabins turning into just one larger, for the suite, since the smaller one now turned into a restroom. The open kitchen to the living room has received a support counter which also serves as a dining space for 2 people. The air conditioning machine on the terrace was hidden by a perforated metal plate, and on it, the wooden shelf receives some plants for everyday uses. To maintain clarity throughout the apartment, and not visually diminish the room, the division between social and intimate wing was done with a dotted glass, allowing the good use of the natural light but also maintaining the privacy of the enclosed environment. The materials follow a more sober line, so we have plenty of white, wood in American oak leaves, and copper tubes that are shelf structures in the kitchen, living room and bedroom.

Viladecavalls is located on a small raised hill in Vallès area that makes that it has a dominant position to the territory. Located in an urban area with a garden city configuration and a dispersed and very heterogeneous architecture, the plot is behind the village and facing the landscape without any obstacle in front that can cover the view towards the territory.

Villa S, is located with a newly established residential area on one side, and with a forest on the other – not far from Copenhagen, Denmark. The shaping of the villa took starting point in the context and the arrival from east, where the S-shaped façade accommodates and welcomes you inside.

The steep ground and the plot’s narrow dimensions determine the pronounced and gradient form of the building which rises from the mountain and over the valley of Poisses, to finally balance itself with the surrounding traditional dwellings and the natural context.

The Project of this single-family house is located on a plot  of 1330 m2 in a low-density residential neighbourhood of Olivos, Vincente Lopez, Buenos Aires. The clients are a couple of young professionals and their two children.