Cella House: A Weekend Retreat Blurring Indoor-Outdoor Boundaries
iHouse estudio designs a family home that extends living spaces into nature.
1Beachside weekend retreat
Casa Cella is a 145 m² weekend home in El Pinar, Canelones, Uruguay, located just yards from the beach. Designed by iHouse estudio architects Andrés García and Marcelo Mederos, the project completed in 2022 serves a family that frequently hosts friends. The location's proximity to coastal amenities informs the home's orientation and material choices, creating a seamless transition between built environment and natural landscape.
2Architectural concept
The house is conceived as an open platform facing the garden, barbecue area, and pool. This design philosophy creates fluid relationships between interior spaces and outdoor living areas. The architects prioritized spatial continuity, allowing daily activities to extend naturally into the exterior environment. The layout reflects Uruguayan coastal living traditions where indoor-outdoor boundaries are intentionally blurred for recreational use.
3Material selection
Key materials include wood and steel, sourced from Uruguayan manufacturers Aluminions del Uruguay, Bia, and Maguinor Maderas. These choices reflect both local availability and durability requirements for coastal conditions. The material palette creates visual warmth while withstanding the beachfront microclimate. Silestone surfaces provide practical, low-maintenance solutions for high-traffic entertaining areas.
4Spatial organization
The 145 m² footprint is efficiently organized around central gathering spaces that flow outward. Public zones connect directly to exterior amenities, while private areas maintain necessary separation. This configuration supports both family privacy and social hosting needs. The design demonstrates how compact footprints can accommodate varied living patterns through thoughtful spatial sequencing.
5Landscape integration
The architecture establishes multiple visual and physical connections to the surrounding landscape. Strategic openings frame garden views while allowing natural ventilation. Outdoor areas are treated as extensions of living spaces rather than separate zones. This approach maximizes usable area while maintaining design cohesion between built and natural elements.
6Regional design influences
The project reflects contemporary Uruguayan coastal architecture's emphasis on modest scale and material authenticity. Local building traditions inform the straightforward construction approach. The design avoids unnecessary complexity while achieving spatial richness through careful detailing and proportion. This demonstrates how regional vernacular can inspire modern interpretations.
7Photographic documentation
Aldo Lanzi's photographs capture the home's material textures and spatial relationships. Images highlight how daylight interacts with interior surfaces and how shadows define outdoor areas. The visual documentation emphasizes the architects' attention to sensory experiences - the play of light, material tactility, and spatial transitions that define daily use.
8Compact living prototype
Casa Cella demonstrates how thoughtful design can make modest footprints feel expansive. By prioritizing spatial flow over square meters, the architects created a home that supports both private family life and social gatherings. The project offers lessons in maximizing functionality without sacrificing design quality, particularly relevant for secondary homes where efficient use matters.