Oxymoron House

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Oxymoron House

Firm

Type

Residential › Private House

SIZE

25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft

BUDGET

$500K - 1M

Refurbishment Oxymoron House:
The project starts with an existing typical house of thick masonry walls in Panama City’s historic neighborhood of San Felipe. What remains of the original building, which dates to the S. XVII, is no more than a rectangular, two stories high structure with a large back yard (possibly the stable and edible garden) However, the property underwent several modifications in different times until the present.

The intervention is founded on the restoration of the aesthetic and historical values of the original building and the removal of clashing elements. The new volume is embedded within the perimeters of the old building, creating a visible contrast between the new and original structures. However, the main objective of the project is building a house in relation to the outside, for which we propose a paradigm shift from the typical housing project in the region, inscribe in perimeter enclosures and related with the exterior through weak connections, for one that strengthens these relationships and whose pursuits focus on the possibilities of spatial interconnections, through pathways and programmatic exchanges.

Family-like spaces - living / dining room, study, private rooms- develop in full at the second floor. Users access it through an entrance from the street. The arrival in the new areas is by a clear succession of voids, tight spaces, openings, terraces, all distributed around the central courtyard. A second access descends towards the terrace area and garden located on ground level and designated for outdoor social activities. This connection also ensures the flow from the kitchen to the outdoor area and the parking lot. By request the client, a guest room, with the possibility of independent access from the back street and privacy from the rest of the house, is located on the ground floor around the courtyard.