Textile House
Paracas is a coastal-marine territory in southern Peru. Its allure resides in its unique archaeological heritage, desert landscapes and climate. Any architectural effort in this context is an open question on how to respond, or not, to these factors.
For us, the fascinating textile legacy the Paracas culture left behind is a remarkable stimulus, and an opportunity to navigate beyond a merely formal pre-Columbian narrative. By observing the textiles we learn about freedom and rigorousness. Freedom in the variety of shapes, colours, imagery; and rigorousness in the sophistication of technique, detail, quality. We treat the constructive system as a textile. The concrete blocks are fibres weaved into a fabric that internally resolves technical and structural components to exploit its spatial and tactile qualities. The concrete block is the material expression of the house; its cool and dim interior contrasts with the intensely bright sunny exterior.
The house creates an elevated podium: an outdoor terrace for social celebration with connecting views to the desert and the ocean; both the corner window and the pool face the sunset in the bay. The ground level is calm; a curved wall draws a longitudinal indoor terrace that articulates the bedrooms.
Prevailing winds in this area blow vigorously from the south carrying dust and sand. The southward-enclosed layout and rough materiality protect the house from these intense winds; both lateral planters in the upper level are intended to mitigate winds with grown vegetation. Hermetic openings are also crucial to block sand from entering; airtight aluminium profiles are used for glazing and double-jamb wood frames for doors.
