Nilo Houses in Tropical Colombia by Alberto Buckhard and Carolina Echeverri

A pair of architecturally unique dwellings set high up within the Colombian mountains, the Nilo Houses were designed by Alberto Buckhard and Carolina Echeverri for two brothers and their families. The neighbouring plots feature vibrant fauna around which the houses, two L-shaped structures, were carefully designed.

The Nilo Houses are examples of definitively horizontal architecture, with distinct planes that sweep across the environment. The structures are mostly two storey, but the two low-profile houses only just glimpse above the surrounding tropical vegetation. As a result they had to be carefully orientated to make the most of the surrounding views.

Concrete was the dominant material in the construction, which allowed for such a linear structure to be inserted into its surroundings, but warm toned wood also makes an appearance in the decking and the sliding doors which essentially open up vast walls of the Nilo Houses. This decking is found on the top of the single storey portions of the residence, which serves as a more private garden space with a swimming pool and green roof.

The dwellings are each accessed via vast courtyards (pictured below) which also serve to subtly demarcate the boundary between the public socialising space and the more private living and sleeping quarters. These sheltered outside spaces feature bespoke apertures in their concrete roofs through which palm trees can penetrate.