This eco-inspired home gets you lost in the jungle

Sarah Tolle – Homify Canada Sarah Tolle – Homify Canada
Casa OLIVOS, Arquitecto Alejandro Sticotti Arquitecto Alejandro Sticotti Country style conservatory
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Beyond the walls and floors of a house, there’s an inherent character or spirit that speaks of the personality and mood of a home. Setting the stage for all of the activities that occur within a living environment, this Argentinian home is a lovely example of an organic space cultivating a sense of separation and wilderness within its walls, communicating the sense of being deep in the jungle when, in fact, you are sitting in the friendly neighborhood of Olivos. In a seamless blend of indoor and outdoor spaces, this home’s interior is both liberating and sheltering, drawing you into a lush inner world that invites you to enjoy the feeling of being in the wilderness, wherever you are.

Designed by the architect Alejandro Sticotti, this home relies strongly on the presence of natural elements such as trees, vines, and plants, with sunlight and foliage featuring prominently in its design. The building was designed as a home and study for the architect. A home that changes effortlessly with the seasons, this space is a prime example of what it means to live in harmony with—and in appreciation of—the natural world.

​Entrance

Friendly and low-key, this effortless entrance doesn’t clamour for attention, offering instead a vision of quiet relaxation in nature. Wood covers essentially every surface that isn’t glass, comprising the furniture and deck as well.  Subdued greys bring an earthy and humble character to the exterior cladding, which in no way attempts to compete with the natural landscape.

​Dining room

Surprisingly lush, this room transports you into an leafy, organic environment that you’d expect while wandering through the greenhouse of a botanical garden rather than while wandering through the rooms of a home. Transparency is a core element in this dining room design, with large windows allowing nature to draw close to the interior, effecting a strong visual impact on the room.

Whether used as a work space or a spot for entertaining guests, this dining room arrangement relies on the natural scenery provided by the walled garden, filling the view with cacti, vines, palms, and a dense growth of shrubs and grasses. With views of the neighboring homes almost completely obscured by leaves, this dining room scene transports you into the wilderness.

​Office

The home is partially residential and partially for work, designed as both the home and office of the architect. This workspace demonstrates an affable and easy-going character, with optimism infused in its warm yellow walls and lightweight furnishings.

​Kitchen

A down-to-Earth kitchen maintains the honest and informal feeling found throughout the rest of the home, with open shelving “baring it all”.

​Living room

Once again surrounded by lush natural views, the living room benefits from transparency, which, thanks to the abundance of vegetation with its light filtering and shading properties, is allowed to remain usually open without letting too much bright sunlight into the living room. A healthy, fresh atmosphere fills the living room right up to the double-height ceiling, under which a mezzanine houses an impressive home library.

​Staircase

Like the glass and wood walls of the home, the staircase has been reduced to its essential elements, with little more than a series of horizontal planks and metal supports comprising the open-air, three-story upward journey.

​Bedroom

There’s a distinct sense of silence in this bedroom design, with a shell of wooden walls making a comforting, quiet statement. Sunlight features prominently in the design, with nothing on the walls to draw attention away from the abundant light that filters in through  gauzy white curtains. Truly grounding, this room is designed with a sense of relaxation and connection to the Earth in mind, with organic materials and practical design allowing the complexities of daily life to fade away.

Tour another surprising and original architect's home in this ideabook: A cement factory renovation that stands between reality and dreams

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