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Blick vom Innenraum durch ein organisch gerundetes Fenster nach außen

An idyll like from the Shire: The organic house - la casa orgánica - was built in 1985 in the hills northwest of Mexico City. The Mexican architect Javier Senosiain wanted to create an architecture that resembles the refuges of animals or early humans. He decided to construct the building underground and hide it under green dunes. He himself says: "The green dune is the shell of the interior, which is almost invisible. From the outside we only see grass, bushes, trees and flowers. A walk in the garden is a walk on the roof of the house without noticing it."

Blick in den organisch gerundetet Wohnbereich mit rundem Sofa und runden Regalen

Models from nature

Senosiain is known for its organic architecture and builds houses inspired by the shape of a shark, flower or mushroom. The organic house was inspired by the shape of a peanut shell - the result is two oval rooms connected by a curved hallway. Despite the underground construction, the interior is filled with natural light thanks to a series of large, curved windows. Ventilation is facilitated by the aerodynamic shape of the living area, which allows free air circulation. In keeping with the topology of the exterior, the furniture blends into the interior and makes the best possible use of the available space within the architecture.

Das begrünte Dach der Villa a casa orgánica
Blick in die komplett organisch abgerundete Küche der Villa
Die komplett begrünte Außenansicht der Villa.

Protective material mix

To achieve the sinuous shapes of the house, Senosiain used ferrocement, a composite material consisting of a mortar reinforced with a lightweight steel mesh. The material is known for its strength and flexibility and is used in composite curved structures such as domes, roofs and hulls. The ferro-cement structure of the organic architecture was coated with polyurethane after construction to both insulate and seal the house. Earth and grass protect the membrane from sun, wind and other influences.

 

der Eingangsbereich der Villa und das komplett begrünte Dach
Blick auf den Eingangsbereich der Villa

Organic forms in the entrance area

Even today, buildings are constructed with organic or at least unusual shapes. emco therefore offers individually manufactured entrance mat systems that adapt to any shape and are available in many colours - thus giving the architect maximum design freedom from the entrance mat. A good architectural example of a perfectly coordinated entrance area is the Libeskind-Villa in Datteln, whose outer forms are reflected on the floor in the entrance area.

Photos: © Architect Javier Senosiain

 

 

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