The Black House

South America was home to some of our favourite pieces of contemporary architecture in 2022 and it’s already off to a great start in 2023 with The Black House in Argentina. Designed by AR Arquitectos, this compelling piece of design is located in the mountains of Córdoba and is a stunningly luxurious residential property.

The Black House from AR Arquitectos boasts black stone concrete on the exterior (hence the home’s name) and it can be found in the small mountain town of La Calera just outside of Córdoba. AR Arquitectos, a local studio, was commissioned by a family to create the 550-square-metre property in Argentina and they’ve done an extraordinary job in making the most of the space available.

The black-stained concrete deployed on the exterior walls of this magnificent Argentinian home provides a strong visual impact and gives the house a sense of solidity and permanence that is hard to ignore. The two-storey property is positioned on a steep slope so the lower floor needed to be partially sunken into the ground to ensure its stability.

The property’s communal spaces are combined into an open-concept layout on this lower level. Visitors to The Black House enter through the centre of the home, which opens out to incredible views of the surrounding mountains through vast, sliding glass walls that also bathe the home in abundant amounts of natural light.

A covered space at the back of The Black House allows visitors to make the most of the outdoors while still enjoying some protection from direct sunlight. Close to the garage, you’ll find a double-height area that contains the staircase, which is crafted from monolithic wooden treads anchored into the structural concrete wall.

Upstairs, there are two bedrooms and an impressive home office laid out along one of the home’s expansive corridors. Each of these areas is treated to incredible views of the city of Córdoba. Additionally, the primary bedroom opens out onto a terrace and is great for relaxing in the sunshine.

Leo Davie