- Project: Luz
- Architect: iHouse
- Location: Uruguay, Carrasco, Montevideo
- Year: 2022
- Area: 386 m2
- Photography: Aldo Lanzi
Reimagining Tradition: A Modern Family Home in Historic Carrasco
In Montevideo’s historic Carrasco neighborhood, iHouse—renowned for its expertise in prefabricated modular construction—takes a different path with Luz: a site-built renovation that fuses heritage with contemporary elegance.
Commissioned as a permanent residence for a growing family, the project called for the transformation of a traditional estate into a light-filled, secure, and flexible home. Balancing privacy with openness, Luz stands as an architectural dialogue between past and present, where timeless materials and modern design coexist in perfect harmony.
Concept & Design Approach
The commission challenged iHouse to step beyond their usual modular scope and return to traditional on-site construction. Yet, their guiding philosophy—precision, efficiency, and environmental consciousness—remained at the core.
The clients requested a single-level residence with four bedrooms, an office, a gym, and a playroom. The design needed to maintain high privacy from the street, ensure security, and still provide ample glass surfaces and natural light.
These demands led to a plan organized by parallel strips that clearly define public and private zones, creating a spatial rhythm that balances retreat and transparency.
Layout & Spatial Organization
Occupying a 1,036 m² plot oriented north, Luz is composed of two principal linear wings that interact through courtyards and light-filled voids:
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The western strip houses the private realm—bedrooms, bathrooms, and the family office—ensuring acoustic separation and seclusion from the street.
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The eastern strip defines the social core, accommodating the living, dining, and kitchen areas, as well as the main entrance.
Between these zones, a series of patios and skylights carve natural light deep into the home, dissolving boundaries between indoors and out. Toward the rear, a glazed barbecue pavilion integrates the gym and playroom, serving as both a family hub and an extension of the garden.
This deliberate zoning allows privacy without isolation, while the careful modulation of transparency fosters a serene domestic environment.
Architectural Expression & Materiality
Formally, the residence is expressed as two concrete slabs enclosing a permeable volume—a minimalist composition that conveys both solidity and lightness. Openings are strategically sized and positioned to control light, privacy, and security, eliminating the need for additional barriers.
The material palette emphasizes durability and timelessness:
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Reinforced concrete for structure and protection.
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Natural stone and polished monolithic floors referencing Carrasco’s classic estates.
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Wood and steel detailing providing warmth and refinement.
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Large glazed planes framing curated views and illuminating the interiors.
Together, these materials create a tactile dialogue between robustness and restraint, grounding the house within its garden setting.
Light, Privacy & Security
At the heart of the project lies a sensitive manipulation of light and enclosure.
Patios and skylights act as architectural lungs, channeling daylight across the plan while maintaining full visual privacy.
Perforations in the concrete skin vary by function: larger openings illuminate social zones, while smaller apertures preserve intimacy in the bedrooms. The façade’s graduated transparency subtly defines the relationship between public and private without ornamental excess.
This architectural clarity delivers security through design, rather than through imposed barriers—an elegant response to modern urban living.
Interior Design & Atmosphere
Inside, Luz achieves a calm minimalism grounded in comfort. The monolithic polished floors recall traditional Uruguayan residences, connecting the renovation to its context. Meanwhile, bespoke cabinetry and soft gray-and-white finishes infuse the interior with contemporary sophistication.
Natural light animates the surfaces throughout the day, creating a home that feels open yet sheltered, modern yet timeless—a perfect embodiment of its name, Luz (Spanish for “light”).
Luz by iHouse is a masterful reinterpretation of traditional architecture through the lens of modern minimalism. By combining the structural confidence of concrete with the warmth of domestic materials, the architects have crafted a resilient, secure, and luminous family home that honors its historic neighborhood while embracing the present.
This project underscores iHouse’s versatility — proving that whether modular or handcrafted, the studio’s design DNA remains defined by clarity, precision, and light.
Drawings
