la hoguera

Project idea

The project emerges from the reinterpretation of an existing stair system in the Miraflores neighborhood of Cali, originally built in response to the area's complex topography. Rather than serving solely as a means of circulation, the intervention transforms this infrastructure into a spatial promenade—a place of movement, interaction, and pause.

La Hoguera is conceived as a through-building project that cuts across the block and activates its interior, enabling new forms of inhabiting and traversing the urban fabric. Rather than acting as a barrier, the complex becomes a connector, enhancing pedestrian access between levels and inviting both residents and visitors into its sequence of spaces.

The project integrates a series of communal and transitional areas, articulated by interior courtyards that mediate between public and private realms. Within these voids, low-impact commercial programs—such as a fashion workshop, small retail spaces, and a café-restaurant—are introduced to promote social and economic vitality in the immediate context.

More than a circulation device, the stepped system operates as a social platform, encouraging encounter, collective use, and a renewed experience of the slope. In doing so, the project reinforces the neighborhood's urban continuity and community cohesion.

Project description

La Hoguera is a mixed-use residential complex located in the Miraflores neighborhood of Cali, Colombia. The project is situated on a 1,155 m² plot (35 × 33 m), characterized by a pronounced slope that both conditions and enriches the architectural approach. Building upon an existing system of public stairs, the proposal reimagines this circulation route as an urban experience, integrating residential, commercial, and communal functions.

The design unfolds in stepped bands that follow the natural terrain, creating a sequence of platforms that organize the different programmatic layers. The main circulation path becomes a structuring axis, combining pedestrian movement with resting areas, intermediate courtyards, and scenic overlooks—transforming the act of ascending into an integral part of collective inhabitation.

On the ground level, the project incorporates two types of low-impact commercial spaces: a fashion workshop and a café-restaurant. Both are open to the public realm and connected through a central courtyard that functions as a social hub. These programs promote local entrepreneurship, encourage community interaction, and enrich the urban character of the complex.

The upper bands house ten residential units, each with staggered access from the main walkway. The homes are designed with sustainability in mind, taking advantage of the local climate through cross ventilation, natural lighting, and the integration of patios and green terraces. The dialogue between public and private space is mediated through permeable walls, level changes, and vegetation.

More than a housing project, La Hoguera acts as a dense and dynamic urban fabric—revitalizing existing infrastructure and transforming it into a platform for social exchange. Its name alludes to the idea of gathering and warmth, evoking a shared space where the community does not simply pass through, but stays, interacts, and creates.

Technical information

The La Hoguera project is structured using reinforced concrete slabs supported by columns, allowing for an open-plan layout and effective adaptation to the sloped terrain through a system of stepped platforms.

The enclosures are made of clay block masonry, enabling a modular, thermally efficient, and low-maintenance construction system. The façades are defined by deep openings that provide passive solar control and allow for the integration of built-in interior furniture within the thickness of the wall. Lightweight metal balconies extend the domestic space outward, establishing a direct relationship with the urban context.

The roofing system consists of traditional clay tiles from the region, supported by a structure of exposed wooden beams visible from the interior. This approach offers a warm and tectonic expression, consistent with the material identity of the Miraflores neighborhood. The continuous roof spans across the entire complex, visually unifying the residential and communal volumes while protecting circulation areas.

The project includes a rainwater harvesting system for irrigating gardens and interior patios. Interior finishes consist of polished concrete floors, handcrafted ceramic mosaics in wet areas, and reclaimed wood carpentry. Lighting is provided by locally made artisanal fixtures, using woven metal mesh and timber.

The complex is organized around open-air patios and circulation paths, with a communal space reserved exclusively for residents, conceived as a place for social interaction, rest, and shared appropriation.

Documentation

Show PDF 1