LCLA+CLARA ARANGO ARRIVES MINIMALIST CONCRETE RESIDENTIAL DESIGN IN RETIRO, COLOMBIA

The Oslo-based architecture studio LCLA and Clara Arango have partnered to build Ballen House, a resort in the Andes Mountains in Colombia, which blurs the boundaries between interior and exterior, blurring the boundaries between architecture and nature. Set in a forested area at 2,100 meters above sea level, the two independent structures are connected by a path and a large garden. Originally, it may have been a larger house that was planned to consist of volumes distributed on a steep slope, with each volume uniquely positioned according to the terrain features of the landscape. Originally a canyon for cattle ranching, the site created the opportunity to reconfigure the landscape and design a new garden connecting the two structures.

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One house rises four meters above the ground and stands on a cruciform column, while the other - partially submerged - is defined by a retaining wall. These structural solutions create two different relationships with the slopes — one closer to the ground, feeling like a cave, the other towering and ventilated. Associated in the opposite way with slopes and carefully designed gardens, the two structures provide a completely different atmosphere. Although different, the two buildings share a common material through concrete formwork, stainless steel detailing, and repeated window profiles. Since the high-rise house is only 60 ㎡ and the longhouse has an area of 75 ㎡, LCLA and Arango use the same details and materials in the outdoor area as the interior to make the house feel more spacious.

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The garden is planted with species from higher climatic zones. Wild orchids, pineapples, and other small plants were selected for their similarity to high-altitude plants. In a really cold mountainous climate, it cultivates a wonderful array of plants. In the end, the two structures represent a separate house rather than living minimally, but an experiment that uses the garden as an extension to supplement the interior space.
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