El Deslizo

El Deslizo examines Venturi’s notion of creating a contradiction between the top and the bottom of a building. By removing a third of the existing concrete structure and adding an attic and gable roof form, a clear distinction between the rectangular mass of the lower volume and prismatic form of the upper volume is established.

This sense of contrast is further enhanced through a strategy of amplification and juxtaposition. By extending the concrete surface and joints of the existing walls to the adjacent ground plane, not only is the building anchored to the site, but also an outdoor porch space is created beneath the cantilevered roof on the south and west side. Above that, a lightweight metal-clad roof that reflects light caps the lower volume to heighten the sense of difference. This juxtaposition between form and material is further echoed in the interior with vertical circulation that changes from a staircase to a switchback ramp.