Opaque concrete walls and wooden lattices enclose a family house on an island in Guayaquil designed by Ecuadorian practice Orense Arquitectos to feel tranquil and secluded.
Mocoli House is located on Isla Mocolí, a small island n the town of Samborondón, in the metropolitan region of Guayaquil.
Mocoli House has a concrete and teak facade
Designed by local firm Orense Arquitectos, the 460-square-metre residence is meant to provide privacy and relief from the tensions of day-to-day life.
"The owners understood that their home had to be a space with privacy, lucidity and harmony," said the studio.
Glimpses of the entry courtyard seen from the street
U-shaped in plan, the two-storey house sits on a flat, rectangular site.
Facades consist of exposed concrete, white stucco and warm-toned teak wood. The street-facing walls lack windows, giving the home an inward-facing quality. A raised path crosses a pool to reach the front door
The entrance elevation, which looks north, is formed of two layers. The outer portion has a tall, concrete wall that shields a void behind it. This open area, which is exposed to the sky, holds a double-height courtyard and an upper-level balcony.
"The double facade absorbs you and achieves its protective function of blocking direct solar light and exterior distractions," said Orense Arquitectos.
A balcony overlooks the courtyard
Designed to evoke a cave, the entry courtyard has a pathway that crosses over a reflecting pool. The cave...