KLM Kelly-Lestard-Maldonado Arquitectos

KLM Kelly-Lestard-Maldonado Arquitectos have come up with the obvious solution to obtain maximum view of the nearby river. The BBQ, deck and living areas are all elevated, whilst the teens' bedrooms lead out to the swimming pool (great for a morning dip) and the master bedroom opens to a private courtyard behind those "folded" concrete dividers.

Casa San Isidro
Camino de la Ribera 141, San Isidro, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Project: 2004
Construction: 2005
KLM Kelly-Lestard-Maldonado Arqs.
Construction Company: Obras privadas SRL
Area: 300m2

As mentioned, the house is located a very short distance from Río de la Plata. In order to maximise views of said river, a fundamental initial design decision was made to place the dining room and living room on the first floor. All the bedrooms are on the ground floor next to the pool and garden, and on the 2nd Floor is a rumpus, multi use space for expansion.
A singular air and circulation passage links the entrance gates, right through the house, to the pool and bottom of the garden. The pool is then linked through an exterior staircase to the main level of the first floor, pergola and BBQ that capture the sun sunset in the distance. Sliding wood and aluminium complete the perimeter of the house and provide security as the bottom levels seal up completely, forming a warm wooden facade.

The stairs, situated beside the entrance, link the three levels while emphasising vertically the whole house.

Conveniently this layout fits a lot of my criteria in terms of family house design. The living area is public, catches views and is viewed, and while the and sleeping level is secure, with kids close to parents, the private courtyard gives them somewhere to retreat to. It's a modern design yet feels more lived in than many "clinically" minimalist designs.