P L A N TA E S T U D I O

commoDore BuIlDInG
planta studio
Buenos Aires, Argentina
irene Joselevich 2017
Arquitecta, Universidad de Buenos Aires,
Buenos Aires, Argentina

ana rascovsk y
Profesora, Universidad de Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina

In the old planning code of Buenos

Aires, the buildable area depends on
a factor by which the land floor-area is
multiplied. However, this figure does
not consider the non-roofed exterior
spaces, which opens up new design
Keywords opportunities to obtain larger salable
Laws floor-areas. This building shows a
Building
way to exploit this possibility through
Opportunity
apartments with large ‘free’ terraces.
Building code
Project

his building originates both from the proposal to

T live in the hybrid ‘apartment with garden’ type
and from a condition present in the old planning code of
Buenos Aires. This code was governed by the Fot (factor
de ocupación de terreno or land occupation factor): a
factor that multiplies land area to obtain the percentage
of salable meters. The price of the land is fixed based
on this number, but the Fot does not apply to roof-less
exterior spaces, thus, if the built mass is organized
through terracing, more salable meters are obtained
without paying extra.
The building is situated on a 45 m long plot. This
length allowed the entire building to be terraced,
generating large sunny balconies, overlooking, towards
the north, a wide and wooded boulevard. The concept
that shapes the project is the stacking of seven houses,
all different from each other, with large exterior spaces
and a lot of perimeter in contact with the outside, which
is its central characteristic. The configuration of the
terraces articulates the building, pulled back on each
floor to obtain the maximum sun and views possible.
On the horizontal plane, the first level units have a large
backyard while the upper units have a private green roof.
The project has a variety of exterior spaces, some
produced by overlapping plate volumes, shaping
42 sheltered exteriors integrated with indoor spaces:
43

© Javier Agustín Rojas

© Javier Agustín Rojas

© Javier Agustín Rojas

Planta emplazamiento / Site plan

E. / S. 1: 2.000

via
da
iva
í nR
rt

Av. 11 de Septiembre de 1888

Ma
ro
o do
m
a Co
enid
Av

Paroissien

edificio commodore
CommoDoRe BUilDiNG

Arquitectos / Architects: Pl anta (Irene Joselevich, Ana Rascovsky) Material / Materials: Hormigón armado estructural, chapa
Colaboradores / Contributors: Florencia Rissotti, prepintada blanca, pisos de granito, hormigón visto y revoques /
Fernanda Torres, Victoria Sabaino Reinforced structural concrete, pre-painted white plates, granite
Ubicación / Location: Avenida Rivadavia Commodoro 1752, floors, exposed concrete and plasters
Buenos Aires, Argentina Superficie construida / Built area: 1.000 m2
Cliente / Client: Refugio Desarrollos Superficie del terreno / Site area: 400 m2
Cálculo estructural / Structural engineering: Estudio Fainstein Año de proyecto / Project year: 2017
Construcción / Construction: Bracar Año de construcción / Construction year: 2018-2019
Instalación sanitaria / Sanitary: Bracar Fotografía / Photography: Javier Agustín Rojas
Iluminación / Lighting design: Arturo Peruzzotti Visualizaciones / Visual work: dotbox
44 Paisaje / Landscape: Hector Viñolo
 A R Q 10 4 — S A N T I AG O , C H I L E
© Javier Agustín Rojas

semi-covered private-access patios, vegetation

porches, and large green balconies or hot tubs
surrounded by planters with native plants. These
exteriors create a microclimate that controls the
temperature against glazed surfaces. The rainwater
collected by the terraces is reused for cleaning and
irrigation in common areas. The flooring is green,
contains grass and crawling plants that provide a
10-centimeter insulating earth mattress. In addition,
they delay the drainage of the surplus of water to the
rainwater-network system. A pergola with vines on top
produces a shadow for sun protection.
The apartments reduce in size floor to floor, so that
each one is different, even before being customized
for each client. One of the apartments has a tree on its
balcony, two have grass, and two have hot tubs. The
silhouettes of the sidewalls were designed in response
to the bordering buildings without generating an
aggressive wall, but an object. Vertically, the exterior
walls have double insulation: a white exterior sheet
favors solar reflectance and an interior brick wall with
an air chamber allows air circulation in between.
From its conception, this kind of architecture
promotes a way of life in relation to the outdoors and
nature, but within the city – with all that this implies.
There’s no need to use a car to get around or live far
away in a closed neighborhood to have nature and
security. ARQ

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 A
Planta nivel calle / Ground floor plan Planta segundo piso / Second floor plan Planta tercer piso / Thrid floor plan
E. / S. 1: 250 E. / S. 1: 250 E. / S. 1: 250

B B B B

C C C C

D D D D

46
A
Planta cuarto piso / Fourth floor plan Planta quinto piso / Fifth floor plan Planta techo terraza / Rooftop plan
E. / S. 1: 250 E. / S. 1: 250 E. / S. 1: 250

A R Q 10 4 — S A N T I AG O , C H I L E

47
 Corte longitudinal AA / Longitudinal section AA
P L A N TA E S T U D I O

E. / S. 1: 200

Elevación oriente / East elevation Corte transversal BB / Cross section BB

E. / S. 1: 200 E. / S. 1: 200

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 A R Q 10 4 — S A N T I AG O , C H I L E
Corte transversal CC / Cross section CC Corte transversal DD / Cross section DD
E. / S. 1: 200 E. / S. 1: 200

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 © Javier Agustín Rojas
P L A N TA E S T U D I O

Irene Joselevich
<[email protected]>

Architect, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FaDU-UBa , 1968). She

was a tenured professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Design
and Urbanism of the Universidad de Buenos Aires (1983-1989)
and a researcher in the area of Urban and Architectural Heritage
Cataloging of the City of Buenos Aires (1984-1995), in the same
institution. She has published several books about the architectural
heritage of the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, as well as a city
architecture guide. Among its awards, is worth noting the contest
“New Green Areas for Puerto Madero and the Revitalization and
Valorisation of the Costanera Sur.” She currently co-directs the
50 Pl anta architecture studio with Ana Rascovsky.
 © Javier Agustín Rojas

© Javier Agustín Rojas

© Javier Agustín Rojas

© Javier Agustín Rojas

Ana Rascovsky
<[email protected]>

Architect, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FaDU-UBa , 1996). Master,

Berlage Institute Rotterdam (Holland, 2002). Master, L’Ecole
d’Architecture de Versailles (France, 2001). She has been a tenured
professor at the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (2014-2016) and at the
Universidad de Palermo (2006-10), and has been invited to universities
and institutions in Italy, Chile and Curaçao. She is currently a professor
at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. She has exhibited her work at the
Venice Biennale, the São Paulo Biennale, Kuala Lumpur, Cambodia
and Peru. She is a founding member of Supersudaca – Think Tank
of international architecture and urban planning and co-directs the
architecture studio Pl anta with Irene Joselevich.
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