Earthy Edifice
Organic House, Naucalpan, Mexico Espacio Integral, Mexico
The house is located at the outsides of México City, built on a 532sq m irregular plot and developed in one floor. The construction surface has 174sq m, and it basically has two big spaces with lots of light joined by a low and narrow corridor ( hall): One of the spaces includes intimate activities and the other social ones.
The house was designed with the desire to feel, when one enters, like he is going underground, conscious of how singular the space was, without losing the integration of the inside with the green, natural landscape outside.
It was also considered of great importance to create conditions that would benefit the inhabitants of the house psychologically and
physically by using ‘ bio- climactic controls’. It is a well- known fact that to create or conserve a microclimate that will benefit human beings, one must begin with the outside of the home and then proceed inside. Along with all the other physical characteristics of the property, green barriers consisting of trees and bushes help filter sunlight, completely prevent penetration of solar rays, create shade that protects living beings from summer heat, provide protection from dust, and absorb noise pollution. Furthermore, the transpiration and evaporation emitted from plants and grass of all kinds refresh the air and increase absolute and relative humidity in the air closest to the
surface, thus producing a conductive cooling off effect. It is important to emphasize that the soil and the sun work together to maintain a stable temperature inside the house: the earth shields the inhabitants from heat and cold while the sun illumines and warms.
The windows of the house were placed strategically in places that would look out over the most pleasant parts of the garden, preferably toward the south so that sunlight would still be available in the winter, seeking light the way flowers do.
Contrary to what one might think, this semi- buried house turned out to be sunnier and fuller of light than a conventional house because the windows can be placed anywhere and the domes allow the entrance of light and
sun from above. Ventilation is facilitated by the aerodynamic form of the dwelling which allows free circulation of air throughout.
The basic idea was to attain spaces adaptable to the human body, similar to the womb, an animal’s lair, the troglodytes who carved a niche for themselves out of the earth, and the igloo.
Factfile
Client: Design Javier Team: Senosiain Javier Senosiain A Aguilar, Daniel
Arredondo Bayardi
Consultants: Alfonso Olvera ( Structural);
Eduardo Saad ( Lighting)
Contractors: Juan Sanchez Torres ( Structural and Civil)
Built- up area: 174sq m
Cost of project: 92,000 US ( present cost)
Year of completion: 1984