Black-stained concrete forms the exterior of this home in the mountains of Córdoba by Argentinian studio AR Arquitectos.
The Black House is located in the small mountain town of La Calera just outside of Córdoba. AR Arquitectos, a local studio, was commissioned by a family to create the 550-square-metres Argentinian home.
Black-stained concrete was chosen for its visual impact
"The principal idea was to break with the traditional premises," said the studio. "Our attention was placed on the choice of concrete as the protagonist material in all its senses."
The black-stained concrete used for the exterior walls creates a strong visual impact and gives the house a sense of solidity and permanence.
Steps lead down to the main entrance on the lower floor The two-storey structure is located on a steep slope so the lower floor needed to be partially sunken into the ground.
From the exterior, a set of steps leads down to the main entrance, while cars park down a ramp into a garage that is configured like a breezeway and offers sightlines through the home.
The home's communal areas are combined into an open-concept layout on this lower level. Visitors enter through the centre of the home, which opens out to views of the surrounding mountains through tall, sliding glass walls.
Sliding glass doors in the common areas provide views of the surrounding landscape
"The ground floor, undermined in the terrain, gives visitors the experience of going through the pr...