The casa pR34 is situated on the rooftop of a existing house. The project involved the gutting and rethinking of the existing late 60s house and the independent structure for the owners daughter.

‘The curving forms, resembling two bodies in motion, were inspired by the occupant who is a ballet dancer.‘

The interlocking shapes, covered in red steel plates, are placed at different levels. The first level contains the kitchen, dining and living area, the second level, a half flight down, the TV room and the master bedroom.

The design incorporates the roof of the existing house, paved with the remains of the chipped lava rocks used for the wall of the house, as a garden terrace. The acrylic skylights become stools, benches and chaise lounges that changes color with an interior lighting system.
A selection of prehispanic organ plants add a lunar feeling to the terrace.

The exterior steel plates, shaped as in a car body shop, are also painted with car paint. The interior of the rolled steel beam structure is covered with chipboard treated with an off-white resin. A fire retardant, thermal and accoustical insulation, is placed between the exterior steel plates and the chipboard.

The following information is from the architects:

‘House Pr 34 is a remodeling and an extension to a house of the late 60’s located in Tecamachalco state of Mexico. The house was purchased by the customer for distribution space, was remodeled leaving it cleaner and more broadly, after a new assignment: A separate department to her daughter.

With 2 hits totally independent, a spiral staircase is the way to enter the new extension. Recalling a dance ballet between two moving bodies, sensuous form that changes direction emerging from each curve was inspired by the ballet dancer to the room.
The department is separated into two half levels (public and private) the first one which is accessed contains living room, dining room, kitchen, 1/ 2 bath and a forklift that runs from the entrance, low average level this room TV and then the master bedroom with bathroom and dressing. Taking into account the roof where it is located this new body, this is used as a large terrace and uses the existing domes of the original house turning them into banks bright acrylic.
Taking into account the extraordinary Mexican labor, the structure is made of 6 IPR’s ‘role, the cover is steel plate 5mm which were carefully hojalatedos as if it were a boat or craft below this special two layers of plaque are 1 1/ 2 ‘of mineral wool acting as acoustic and thermal insulation, finally the interior is covered with OSB (triplay of chip thick) with a 9mm finished in white resin mudslides.’

Total area: 140 square meters
Completed 2004