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#02 Casa RM by Arkraft studio

Filmatica

Permeable Planes.


We are invited to take a moment out of our hectic lives to appreciate the easily forgotten spectacles of nature as Juan Benavides of Filmatica frames a typical day in the life of a couple. The setting is a residential project by Arkraft studio in Monterrey, Mexico. In Casa RM, Benavides moves us from the busy daytime buzz into a space of refuge as he captures the surrounding context to give meaning to the minimalism of the architecture. The exterior architecture itself echoes the surrounding buildings and the simple form makes itself anonymous in a sea of modest dwellings.

Upon entering, we are greeted by a flood of natural light bringing attention to the spinal cord of the project, the open circulation core. This light access becomes an integral part of the experience as we become spectators of the movement of the sun throughout the house. The permeability allows us to become a part of the outside while providing a shelter in which to relax in. With every introduction into a space, we are introduced to the connection with the outdoors as we look outside a window and see only a glimpse of what is further up.

Taller than it is wide, the residence is spatially composed according the activity that takes place in the area. We enter at the ground level, the most active and social level. It is where we find the common living space, kitchen, and access to the outdoor patio. It is where we greet our wife and our dog. As we move along and up the staircase, we enter a small common space dedicated to concentration. The placement of the windows defines this program. The final two levels are the bedroom and terrace levels. Once we arrive to the top, we are in complete awareness of the context and in a minimal frame as compared to the interior windows initially presented. The form breaks loose and fades away into the context. The wife and her dog gaze upon the city from their shelter, a minimal enclosure encapsulating an otherwise open air room. This modest residential project makes a statement about the harmony of basic elements to achieve spaces of experiential fluidity and permeability to the outdoor context.

This is a short film in a series directed by Juan Benavides of Filmática which includes the documentation of 12 houses designed by up and coming Mexican architects throughout various cities in Mexico.

Credits

Architect: Arkraft studio
Mentioned project: Casa RM (2011)
Project location: Monterrey, Mexico
Music: Gerardo Orozco

Mexico 2014
Duration: 3'55''