02/04/2012 – Nestled in a wooded mountainous area near Guatemala City, Casa Coral, designed by the young architect Alejandro Paz (Paz Arquitectura), integrates architecture and nature with a clear intention: to let the house enter the forest without overwhelming it.
The project was developed around the existing trees, organizing the rooms so the trunks could remain in place rather than being cut down.
The plan is largely open, with the house distributed across the sloping site. Its two long facades are mostly glazed, creating a sense of permeability between inside and outside and allowing the architecture to settle naturally into its surroundings.
According to the designer, concrete is combined with rustic wood as a primary construction element, allowing the material character of the house to interact with the forest around it.
Peter Dark
Anna Lohan
