|

Nirvana House Rises From the Ground as a Three-Story Garden

ByMyProperty Life

Nestled in the scenic surroundings of Pilar, Argentina, Nirvana House by AtelierM reimagines the boundaries of residential architecture. Overlooking a polo field, this 3,767-square-foot home combines innovation, sustainability, and a commitment to blending with its environment. The result is a home that transcends mere functionality, offering its inhabitants a seamless connection with the natural world.

Modern house with green roofs and a pool, surrounded by grass and trees, next to a large open field.

At the heart of Nirvana House lies an unconventional concept – a three-level garden that appears to rise organically from the earth, topped off with a lush green roof. This detail ensures the home integrates effortlessly into the surrounding terrain, creating a dialogue between structure and environment. The design’s flowing lines and organic contours mirror the undulating topography, forming a residence that feels as though it has grown from the ground itself.

Read another article:Design Trends for Creating a Vacation Vibe at Home

Aerial view of a modern, eco-friendly house with a green roof, a garden, and a rectangular swimming pool, situated near a paved road with parked cars and surrounded by grassy areas.

Modern concrete house with large windows and a green roof, surrounded by grass and trees, under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Concrete and wood were deliberately selected as primary materials, chosen for their durability, low maintenance, and capacity to develop a natural patina over time. These materials not only enhance the structure’s longevity but also deepen its visual and textural connection to the landscape.

Read another article:Hot Trends: 20 Best Farmhouse Style Kitchens in White and Wood

Modern house with a green roof and wooden exterior, surrounded by grass and trees under a cloudy sky.

A modern building with a green roof and large window is surrounded by trees and grass. Steps lead up to the entrance.

Modern house with large glass windows, green roof, and nearby grassy area, set against a cloudy sky backdrop.

Read another article:Revamped Small Barcelona Apartment Combines Multiple Styles and Finishes

Concrete steps with a metal railing ascend alongside overgrown vegetation, against a cloudy sky.

The home is divided into two primary zones – public and private – each designed with distinct yet interconnected purposes. The ground floor features open-plan living, dining, and kitchen areas that dissolve the boundaries between interior and exterior. Expansive windows and sliding doors draw in natural light and provide unbroken views of the gardens.

Modern living room with a black leather sofa, concrete walls, large windows, and a sleek metal staircase, featuring greenery visible through the glass.

The upper level houses the private quarters, including bedrooms designed as tranquil retreats. These spaces offer sweeping views of the polo field and beyond, fostering a sense of calm and introspection. A thoughtfully placed water feature acts as the home’s meditative core, reflecting sunlight throughout the space.

Modern dining room with a marble table, yellow chairs, and a wooden accent wall. Large glass doors and windows provide natural light. Two artworks hang on the wall.

Modern interior with concrete staircase, large windows, a green sofa, wooden accents, and open space design. Natural light illuminates the area.

Nirvana House embodies a forward-thinking approach to sustainability, incorporating passive design principles to minimize its environmental footprint. Strategic orientation allows for optimal natural light and airflow, reducing reliance on artificial lighting and climate control systems. By prioritizing efficiency and sustainability, the home not only respects its environment but also enhances the comfort of its occupants.

Concrete staircase with a sleek metal railing leading to an upper floor. Large glass walls offer an outside view with plants visible along the top edge of the wall.

Concrete staircase with angular design, adjacent to a glass wall with leafy plants below. Shadows and light create patterns on the surfaces.

A concrete staircase with wooden walls and handrail lighting at night. Lush plants are visible at the base, next to a small water feature.

The choice of noble materials – such as concrete and wood – ensures the house ages gracefully, maintaining its aesthetic integrity while requiring minimal upkeep. This commitment to sustainability extends to the design’s integration of vegetation, with greenery cascading across all three levels of the garden, uniting the home with its verdant surroundings.

Modern building interior with a staircase leading down, featuring concrete and wooden walls, large glass windows, and a view of outdoor greenery and distant structures.

Curved concrete hallway with a metal railing and wooden wall, leading to a staircase. Large window offers a view of greenery and trees outside.

Modern bedroom with large windows, wooden walls, and a view of a green field.

A modern concrete building with greenery on top. A person stands on the rooftop stairs. The front is illuminated, and it's surrounded by plants. Sky is clear with some clouds.

A modern two-story house with a green roof and wooden accents, set in a landscaped yard with a path leading to the entrance. A person stands on the roof.

For more information on the Nirvana House or AtelierM’s projects, visit atelierm.ar.

Photography by AtelierM, courtesy of BowerBird.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.

Similar Posts

  • Victorian Terraced House Extension Improves Space and Storage Solutions

    Beautiful extensions and makeovers are all about finding a balance between what the clients want and what works on the specific lot. Then there is the added responsibility of preserving the past even as you look towards the future. This is a delicate art that was perfectly executed by Amos Goldreich Architecture as they turned […]

    You’re reading Victorian Terraced House Extension Improves Space and Storage Solutions, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

  • Cascading House

    The site has the typical challenges of many urban lots in Ho Chi Minh city: abutted by tall neighboring houses, small developable area relative to the clients’ program, and compromised access to daylighting and natural ventilation. Due to the height restriction, the house was pushed 1 level below the ground to accommodate the large program. In an effort to solve as many issues as possible, we proposed a concrete column system hidden inside the north and south concrete wall that face the neighbors, acting as the primary structure for the house and freeing up the space in-between. These concrete walls provide privacy to the clients and their family, and open up the east and west facade for views and outdoor-indoor connection. Because the column system extends continuously from the basement to the roof, the concrete beams spanning in-between can be moved vertically without any structural concerns. This flexibility also meant total discretion to determine the elevations of the upper floors–which we intended to take advantage of. By convention, the program is stacked floor-by-floor to maximize the usable area of a small lot which could result in monotonous and isolated spaces. We wanted to do just the opposite: visually and spatially connecting the different parts of the house together by splitting the floor plates, and then cascading them to create a multi-story atrium. In this space, life unfolds naturally; once a family member steps out of the bedroom, he/she will be in an all-connected “room”, and in the company of another member, whether that person is on the other side of the atrium or 2 levels above. In addition to spatial articulation, this atrium brings daylighting down to the basement, and–working with the 2 sunken gardens which are naturally filled with cool air–aids the stack effect by letting the hot air rises to the top. The temperature of the lower floors, as a result, becomes more comfortable. From the outside, Cascading House looks solid as a rock that provides sturdy shelter. The interior, however, feels as porous as a sponge soaking up natural light and air, and brings family members closer together–the qualities that make this house a home.