Paraguay-based architecture firm TDA suspended a 80-square-metre concrete block for not only shading but also to provide a larger space for a covered gallery, grill, social welfare and car parking, creating a pure connection with the ground.

Designed for a young couple and the birth of their first born child, the "floating" private residence - named "House In The Air" - was designed by considering the economic budget of the project and practicality in use.

The climatic conditions of Luque in Paraquay were other design inputs to decide the exact form of the house, like considering the shade conditions (35 degrees celsius in the summer), the use of the prevailing wind (north-east), and the protection of the raw winters with nearly polar winds (south) were the main design parroters for the architects.

"These elements give us the keys to rethink a better space for the integral development of the human beings," said TDA.

"The lack of economic resources is often the tool that drives us to reformulate solutions to problems that with a bigger budget we could not even imagine. This is the condition of our actions from here day by day."

"Aware of this situation almost revealing in itself, we think a house that is no longer an instrument of ego, we actually draw in a sacred chest where they will keep their laughs, cries, desires, dreams and aspirations of an even better future," added the studio.

A horizontal concrete box, reaching dimensions of 16mx5m, provides a multi-functional space serving for a covered gallery, grill, social welfare and a car parking. Two suspended blocks of 11 square meters each, contains the staircase and the services. These are raised at 80cm from the ground level.

These slabs, suspended by metal clampings, are lined with a wall of ceramic pieces commonly used in roofs, cut and arranged in horizontal form building a hollow section, that in addition of providing thermal and acoustic insulation establishes a scaling tool in which is impossible to detect the coating material.

The suspended volume hosts the house; it levitates at +2.80m from the ground level. Glass tubes connects it to the counters (ladder and bathrooms).
These blocks protects it from the cold southerly winds in winter and provides privacy.

Blind in their east and west elevations, this box opens entirely from north to south. The winds sweep the 16m window and provide natural lighting for 12 hours a day. A longitudinal run counter establishes the scale of the house, becoming a work desk, kitchen desk and desktop.

An external staircase splits the house and turns it onto the terrace, a place to visit with friends, especially at night. A wooden deck, built with formwork plates used in the construction process, gives the place a relationship with the environment. 

The wooden deck also provides a powerful sun filter over the roof, which gives a pleasant comfort feeling within the volume without the need of artificial conditioning. Dominating the views the house duplicates its scale, allowing them to establish new limits.

Site plan

Entrance facilities

Family room and bedrooms

Gallery floor

Terrace plan

Cross section

Opening detail

All images © Federico Cairoli 

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