Además Arquitectura wraps Buenos Aires house in curved concrete wall for privacy

Argentine studio Además Arquitectura has completed Casa Alba II, a 248-square-metre concrete house in Buenos Aires's Ezeiza-Canning neighbourhood, enclosed by a curved privacy wall. Completed in 2024, the wall serves as both boundary and space-generating element, drawing on Luis Barragán's legacy for an introspective approach. The house's volumes run diagonally to the street, oriented north-south around a central axis that separates public and private areas. Three sleeping quarters lie on the west side, while open-plan living, dining, and kitchen spaces connect to a 41-square-metre semi-covered porch. Built almost entirely of exposed concrete, the design emphasizes material continuity and passive cooling: the wall reduces solar exposure, mirrored north and south patios enable cross-ventilation, and concrete acts as thermal mass in winter. Dark flooring and furniture contrast with the concrete to heighten light and shadow. The studio noted the importance of precision in geometry and openings when working with a limited palette. Photography by Federico Cairoli.