It’s appropriate that this bright and airy renovation is located in an area known as Argentina’s “third lung:” It’s the sort of place that makes you want to breathe deep and drop your shoulders.

“It really feels like an oasis,” says architect and homeowner Alejandro Yañez Ayala. He and husband Marcelo Vitale, who works in banking, made their way to Parque Chas in Buenos Aires in search of a deeper connection to nature. They found it in a dilapidated, 50-year-old bungalow with huge potential—although it was on the edge of an industrial area, it was just a block away from the lush Agronomy Park. “We can hear birds singing every morning,” says Alejandro. “I can see the moon while I’m washing a dish. Living here is like being on vacation.”

Before: Dining Room

After: Dining Room

Alejandro, as coprincipal of design firm Maya Estudio (with business partner Agustín Marveggio), was more than equipped to tackle a renovation. The home is what’s known in Argentina as “PH” house: a dense, small-scale horizontal structure unique to the region that was particularly popular in the ’30s and ’40s. Rooms connect to each other by wrapping around a central entryway, and though the floor plan is only 860 square feet, on the upper level, a spacious terrace and green roof add another 860 square feet of usable space. “When friends come over, we go straight to the terrace,” says the architect.

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

But even when the couple do make their way indoors, views of nature and natural light are never too far. To give each space its own indoor/outdoor connection, Alejandro tore out walls and installed oversized black-framed window and glass doors. “We don’t turn on lamps until sunset,” says Alejandro. “There’s a constant connection to light.”

The home’s iron and glass palette is a nod to the area’s industrial heritage; while Alejandro and Marcelo wanted something modern to call their own, they also wanted to respect the building’s history. “We wanted to keep the original spirit that these types of units have, and recover a bit of the Spanish-Italian atmosphere in which we both grew up,” says Alejandro. They looked to materials that would’ve looked right at home in their grandmothers’ own houses—like the terrazzo in the kitchen, the floor of the patio, and the reclaimed ceramic backsplash tiles.

Before: Living Room

After: Living Room

“We can hear birds singing every morning. I can see the moon while I’m washing a dish. Living here is like being on vacation.”
—Alejandro Yañez, architect and resident

Alejandro defines his own style as “baroque,” while his husband Marcelo is drawn to more minimalist designs. The humble home finds the middle ground, incorporating rich historic details sparingly (case in point: the exposed ceiling) to balance the fresh white walls and carefully curated accessories. The furnishings are a mix of family heirlooms—a mirror in the bedroom from Abuela, for instance—and custom-made pieces by Alejandro’s furniture studio, Zonda Taller de Muebles.

Before: Terrace and Green Roof

After: Terrace and Green Roof

The terrace isn’t used solely for entertaining, or splashing around in the pool; a small office area houses a desk, a refrigerator, and a bathroom. The green roof attracts butterflies and birds, and provides cooling shade for the workspace below.

Before: Courtyard

AFter: Courtyard

As they work, and as they play, the nature they sought is at every turn. “Even in the bathroom, we can look at the sky,” says Alejandro. “It's a little bubble. This is exactly the house we wanted.”

Before: Bedroom

After: Bedroom

After: Bathroom

Related Reading:

A Buenos Aires Home Encloses a Small Jungle After Some Clever Carving

An Experimental Renovation Tests the Boundaries of a Busy Street Corner

In Argentina, a Brick Home’s New Second Story Feels Weightless

Project Credits:

Architect: Maya Estudio / @maya_estudio

Landscape Designer: Herbario / @herbarioherbario

Furniture: Zonda Taller de Muebles / @zondamuebles

Stylist: Ale Altamira / @alealtamirastudio