The single-family home, Casa 1.5-3 by Baquio Arquitectura, is situated in Santa Elena, Ecuador. Designed in 2024, the house harmoniously integrates with its surroundings, inspired by Juhani Pallasmaa’s ideas on dwelling. The facade’s compositional language showcases a mix of wood and concrete, offering a rich sensory experience.
The “Casa 1.5-3” project is a single-family home located in the commune of Olón, in the province of Santa Elena, Ecuador. Situated on a 1100 m² plot, this house aims to harmoniously integrate with its immediate surroundings, respecting and complementing the sensitive landscape in which it is located. Inspired by Juhani Pallasmaa’s ideas on dwelling, the design of this house focuses on creating spaces that foster a constant perceptual connection between the different realms of daily life.
The project’s name, “Casa 1.5-3,” comes from the proportional grid of 1.5 and 3 meters that defines the site’s structure. This grid not only organizes the space but also establishes a rhythm and proportion reflected in the composition of the facades and the internal distribution of the house. The house is organized around an interior void, a central space that acts as the heart of the home, allowing for fluid interaction between public, semi-public, and private spaces.
The house is divided into four consecutive blocks, each with a specific function that responds to the needs of its inhabitants:
1. Access, Transition, and Indeterminacy Block: This first block serves as a welcoming and transitional area. Here, visitors experience a first impression of the home, a space that invites exploration and connection with the rest of the house.
2. Active Collective Activities Block: This second block houses the living room, dining room, and kitchen. A pre-existing tree becomes the protagonist of this space, integrating nature into the interior activities.
3. Private Rest Block: The third block is dedicated to rest and privacy. Here, the bedrooms are located, transitioning from the common areas and oriented towards the back of the plot.
4. Collective Activities in Interior-Exterior Space Block: The last block combines interior and exterior spaces, including an additional suite that can function independently or be connected to the main house. This flexible design allows for adaptation to different needs posed by the clients.
The 1.5-3 proportion is also reflected in the compositional language of the facades, where a combination of wood and concrete is used, seeking to establish an honest relationship between the exterior and interior through the material. This includes the tectonic qualities of wood and the stereotomic qualities of concrete.
Following Juhani Pallasmaa’s ideas, “Casa 1.5-3” seeks to create a dwelling experience that goes beyond mere functionality. Pallasmaa argues that architecture should be an extension of our senses, a way to connect with the world around us. In this sense, the house is not just a physical refuge but also seeks to reflect this philosophy by creating spaces that invite contemplation and the enjoyment of the small details of everyday life. Each block, each material, and each proportion are designed to offer a rich and immersive sensory experience, where inhabitants can feel a genuine connection with their home and surroundings.
