Architecture studio OA+ has threaded a path through this adobe brick and wood house in Envigado, Colombia that leads from its entrance to woodland at the rear.
Extending from a grassy hill on the site, the green roofs staggered over the residence are intended to blend it in with its surrounding in the neighbourhood of Alto de las Palmas, which translates as top of the palms.

"Casa Carmen protrudes from the mountain, requiring the need to make an impact with its surroundings by means of a habitable green roof, which extends throughout the project and over all spaces of the house," said OA+, which is based in Medellín.

Alto de las Palmas is located in Envigado, a municipality southeast of Medellin that is 2,550 metres above sea level. Because of its high altitude, the house is fragmented into three volumes laid in a Z-shape through the site, in order to create sheltered gardens and terraces.

"The high altitude of the location, subject to adverse climatic conditions in terms of temperature and wind demanded the project adopt principles of architectural composition to improve the comfort and bioclimatic conditions of the house," the firm added.

The programme is fragmented into three areas across the 650-square-metre property, which is mainly arranged on the ground floor.
They are threaded with a pathway that leads from the entrance to the forest at the rear to merge the house with nearby nature trails.

"From the point of access, the aim was to g...