STEEL HOUSE
Alto Arquitectura
ARCHITECTS
Alto Arquitectura
LEAD ARCHITECTS
Esteban Castro Izquierdo, Adriana Gutierrez Alvarez
PHOTOGRAPHS
Sitio Estudio
AREA
3600 m²
YEAR
2021
LOCATION
Colombia
CATEGORY
Houses
English description provided by the architects.
The Steel House is a contemporary residential design that integrates cutting-edge materials and prefabrication techniques to create modern architectural expression while maintaining a connection to its natural surroundings.
The project's premises are based on two main principles: the functional distribution of interior spaces and their relationship with the landscape.
This connection is achieved through extensive glass façades that dissolve boundaries, allowing the interior spaces to seamlessly connect with the natural environment.
On the eastern terrace, a translucent pergola with wooden screen integrates the posterior garden into inner spaces, creating an intimate, wind-protected microclimate that serves as an extension of the interior living spaces.
The structural expression is defined by a prismatic steel volume that rises from a concrete base. The main volume projects as a cantilever toward the north, forming both the entrance and covered parking area.
This structural configuration achieves a compelling visual statement while serving practical functions, demonstrating how engineering solutions can enhance architectural expression.
Responding to Bogota's unique plateau climate, the house incorporates bioclimatic strategies beginning with its east-west orientation to maximize solar gain, ideal in a high-mountain location in the tropic.
The building envelope features a concrete roofing system that provides thermal mass, strategic greenhouse-effect glass installations that capture solar heat, double-glazed windows for enhanced insulation, and a radiant floor heating system as a complementary active solution.
The Steel House represents an approach to residential architecture where the clients' art collection and passion for modern furniture became integral to the design process.
Interior spaces were conceived as neutral galleries with natural light, creating ideal conditions for displaying art while framing specific views of the surrounding landscape.
The prefabrication methods employed allowed the reduction of on-site building time and material waste, while creating spaces that respond to both the technical requirements of construction and the aesthetic sensibilities of residents with sophisticated taste in design and art.
