Nordeste Curuguaty Offices: An Environmental Audit In A Rural Setting
Mínimo Común Arquitectura braves locational predicament and builds Nordeste Curuguaty Offices in Curuguaty city of Paraguay. The 200-square-meter stretched structure is 350 km from the capital Asunción. The site being in the middle of an agricultural and livestock area poses the main challenge for the team. Pressed clay made into bricks is the primary component used to frame the structure along with other vernacular materials. The architects pillared the design based on five ideas: The Soil, The Material, The Cover, The Parasol, and Water. The approach manifests the intention behind the project – love for the earth.
The Soil. The call to use local and sustainable materials was huge when building the Nordeste Curuguaty Offices. The team turned to available natural resources in the area and used them suitably. Pressed earth turned into bricks is the framework of the office. The brick walls enclose the rooms creating a more suitable temperature for the occupants.
The Cover. Another element to consider was the heat, a 45-degree Celcius temperature was a constant in the area. As a response, the team had to cultivate a shadow system that would limit the exposure to extreme temperatures.
“The catenary was smiling at us. The structure would function as a bending moment diagram, the IPN profiles at the ends would work only in compression and the traction ropes provide 45 meters of light with the simplicity of a trace in the air.”
Mínimo Común Arquitectura
The Mínimo Común Arquitectura team deems that wires were an efficient way to tackle the obstacle of creating the shade. It is a light and economical way with minimal air blockage.
The Material. Given the locality of the site, there weren’t a lot of options for materials in the area. They made use of bricks fabricated on-site using the press method. A temporary factory meant to produce the bricks was imperative. Furthermore, the transport of materials was of great concern. Consequently, only those that are safe to travel were outsourced. These are materials such as iron, rope, and cement.
The Parasol. Notably, the most interesting element in the structure is the perimeter wall. It is made up of the same brick material but crafted differently. Cement mortars connect the clay blocks and once cured, the wall was pressure washed to dissolve the bricks. It then reveals a mesh of cement links. This strategy creates a “transparent” barrier between the farmland and the facility.
The Water. The curve of the catenary collects the rainwater for reuse. The shape of the roof expels the water upwards and then distributes it through the roof which in turn decreases the temperature inside the office. The water is also directed towards the circular pond that divides the structure into two separate bases.
“To be able to do, you have to know; and in order to know you have to do. A material is nothing in itself, only what we decide to do with it – from domestic helpers to bank owners, we all have the same right to make.”
Verónica Villate, co-founder of Mínimo Común Arquitectura
Photo Credits: Daniel Ojeda
