Villa Angelines-Holiday house | Amphibia BASE

Project Bohio was built in Colombia in a river valley between the Central and Eastern ranges of the Andes mountain system close to Villeta, a town 80 km away from Bogotá D.C.

The design process for Bohio follows three main requirements from the owner:

1. to conceive a bungalow type holiday house that utilizes only local and natural materials reducing environmental impact

2. to avoid an urban style of appearance

3. to integrate the building with the surrounding tropical landscape.

These requirements were achieved by evoking a vernacular style of architecture found in Colombia. Basic social, traditional and cultural concepts were integrated into the design which interacts with the environment by the intensive use of natural materials. As a result, a strong sense of appropriateness and architecturalidentity was attained.The project was implanted high on the side of a valley to gain the views over a river canyon.

A conical roof covers the two-storey circular superstructure while the lower level is covered by the projection of the ground floor slab over the basement, making room for an ample terrace and three separate rooms underneath (two for guests and one for storage and laundry). Adjacent to these rooms a sheltered terrace provides protection from the incident sun throughout the year and generates a fresh corridor ideal for hanging hammocks and setting up terrace tables.