框架丨墨西哥蒂华纳丨Design Opera Architects

Firm： Design Opera Architects

Type： Residential › Apartment

STATUS： Built

YEAR： 2021

SIZE： 3000 sqft - 5000 sqft

BUDGET： $0 - 10K

In Mexico, a Concrete Frame consisting of a post and beam system is the preferred construction method. There is a certain beauty seeing these projects in their Skeletal Forms as they are erected around the city. Ironically, these projects are later covered, concealing the frame. The appeal of the concrete frame structure is the visible open space. Without the open space, the frame is just not visible. Thus, we focused on creating large open spaces to highlight the concrete frame while addressing larger housing issues in the city.

Instead of beginning the design process with the building's envelop, we began by laying out the typical units first and then accommodating them into a building, eliminating the hassle of having to cram units into a set building. The result is a comfortable and functional space(s) resembling those of a house more than those of typical apartments.

With its bordering proximity to Southern California, the demand for housing in Tijuana exceeds that of available apartments. Aside from the city's lack of public amenities such as parks and open spaces, Tijuana also suffers from a marginalizing housing market, leaving families in cramped dysfunctional, and cookie-cutter apartments.

Frame, set out to try and tackle this situation.

With two units per floor, the proposed 12-Unit project features expansive outdoor terraces that can be used for lounging, dining, and children play areas.

In addition, more than half of the units in the project contain three-bedroom or larger units, in order to accommodate more families into the development while the varying terraces double the living space of the apartments for a fraction of the cost, since the cost for construction is much lower for unconditioned spaces. By providing larger indoor and outdoor spaces, these apartments become more attractive than urban single-family projects.

The units feature warm and spacious interiors that open to large outdoor spaces, creating an indoor and outdoor relationship not found in typical apartment buildings.