The evident admiration for monumental and brutalist architecture opened the conversation and creative possibility between the Antioquian design studio 5Solidos and the occupant of this newly designed 780m² country house 'Casa Haras', set in the mountains of Colombia.
This is a residence where noble materials and generous spaces honor the beauty of simplicity and light, and where architecture converses daily with its surroundings. “It was clear that what was sought was for the house itself to be a sculpture. We decided to keep the design as clean as possible so that when scaled to large volumes, the materiality wouldn’t work against us,” says María José Fernández, co-founder of the studio.
While the geometry of the project may seem basic or elementary, it is anything but in its dimensionality and construction details. From an aerial perspective, two rectangular volumes overlap, creating a symmetry where the roofs are treated with the same importance as the front façade. “Few times is the design considered from above, which can result in neglects both in visuals and finishes. We wanted to cover them with natural river stones to give them the same importance as the other four façades,” adds María José.
From below and outside, the simplicity of the design is reinforced through careful material choices: steel, aluminum for the façades, and concrete for the vertical siding. This materiality defines the boundary between the interior and the exterior, ensuring the house's privacy. But this privacy begins to dissolve once you cross the entrance portal, where the volumetric solidity of brutalist architecture fades into an ethereal space. “The fluid communication among everyone set the stage for a trust revealed in the honesty of this project. Not everyone dares to live amongst walls, floors, and ceilings in concrete,” asserts the design studio.
The decision to cover the imposing spiral staircase, the adjacent column, the door, and hidden closets at the entrance in American oak veneer was particularly apt. It not only frames the parallel volumes but also introduces a touch of warmth to the interior. This warmth is further emphasized by the selection of furniture by Studio KP2, in collaboration with5Solidos, the large-format cotton rugs, and the linen curtains in the bedrooms.
Upon entering, a spacious double-height living room greets you, open to both the interior and the exterior, connecting the entire social area. Here, various moments unfold: a ten-seat dining room, kitchen, pool, and outdoor living room. Within this expansive space, one element stands as the central axis of the house. A V-shaped concrete column extends into the pool, composed of black Bali stone tiles. It not only supports the upper right wing but also imbues the house with a strong sense of identity. “Playing with the structural functionality of the project, we turned it around to make the most of it,” adds Daniel Correa, co-founder of5Solidos.
On this floor, hidden spaces abound: a gym connected to the outside, a social bathroom, a cinema room, a private bedroom, an auxiliary kitchen with service rooms, and a garage. Ascending the sculptural staircase, you reach the second floor, where natural light envelops a hall that separates the master bedroom from the four secondary rooms. “From this hall, you can see the origin of the vertical columns that repeat as a pattern on the interior of the main façade. This element, in addition to providing coherence to the building, is an important factor in managing light,” adds Fernández.
“The robustness of this house gives a sense of security and, for me, it also represents how important and beautiful it is to be located at its own center,” says the person who now inhabits the impenetrable exterior and welcoming, cozy interior of this house.
