Casa Cuore sits high up in the hills staring down imperiously at the urban sprawl of Colombia’s second-largest metropolis, Medellin. Designed for a young couple and their first child, the contemporary compound grapples with a steeply inclined lot to create a solid setting for the family’s future.
The young studio has quickly established itself as the city’s heavyweight tastemakers for the aspiring crypto class, telenovela superstars and reggaeton artists like J Balvin and Nicky Jam.
Tour Casa Cuore by Cinco Solidos, Medellin
Stacked over two superimposed volumes, the silky smooth brushed cement addition to the pinnacle of the city’s real estate pyramid tops out at 2,700 m above sea level, creating climatic challenges that needed to be overcome.
At its lowest point (1,600 m above sea level) the city is famed for its idyllic, all-year-round, spring-like climate but at the top of the valley, temperatures can drop sharply, challenging architects to find ways to embrace the outdoors in the day and find ways to swaddle its inhabitants at night.
To achieve this the 5 Solidos design team wrapped the bedrooms and study upstairs with a perforated metallic skin to reduce the solar flare effect during the day and add further protection against the elements after dark.
The home is formed by three monolithic horizontal slabs 30 m in length, supported by a combination of load-bearing walls that isolate the service area and garage from the rest of the house, and pilotis used to create a central space that intelligently throws itself open to its surroundings.
Huge retractable glass panes fold away so the living spaces can expand continuously to the terrace and frame the breathtaking views. The monolithic slabs have cantilevered overhangs of up to 5 metres at ground level creating liminal spaces that blur the lines between interior and exterior.
Natural elements contrast with the house’s brushed cement exoskeleton including travertine stone, painted steel and wood paneling used throughout to soften the interiors.
A rouge marble island containing a kitchen for entertaining gives a colourful pop to the downstairs living area. The program is connected by a slick, elongated stainless steel staircase that leads to the bedrooms upstairs.
Outside, the jacuzzi shares a stainless steel box with an ancient olive bonsai tree imported from Japan, a popular feature from 5 Solidos’ Asian-inspired playbook.
Imposing vertical brise soleils made from terracotta-painted steel were added to the rear of the house to offer added privacy for an upstairs studio.
On the second level, the rooms open to the landscape through a folding skin that promotes an interaction between the interior intimacy of each space and their unique views of the city below.
Skylights perforate the ceiling to offer additional ventilation and light in the rooms upstairs and there’s a magnetic lighting scheme throughout that permits inhabitants to transform the lighting scheme with ease.
'The house is presented with dominant simplicity, demanding attention through the details in the cast concrete and creating a sensitive and functional space to live within the uninterrupted landscape,' says Daniel Correa, one of the two founding partners of 5 Solidos.
'Amid the mountainous topography overlooking the city of Medellin, the house balances strong architectural forms, human scale, and connection to the place, creating a viewpoint as a unique retreat,' he adds.
Playing with shapes is a common theme in 5 Solidos work and they chose to contrast the rectangular form of the house with a curvaceous collection of sofas and armchairs and a selection of acute and obtuse angles can be found throughout the furniture selected to complement the architecture.
As well as international pieces like amber coffee tables by Yiannis Ghikas and MR01 chairs by Danish designer, Gubi, the team created some bespoke additions from its own furniture line, 5 Solidos Objects, that include a triangular dining table mirroring the family dynamics, cuddly sofas and a collection of stone Jenga bricks, each weighing 80 kilos that form two imposing coffee tables at ground level.
