Loma House by Besonias Almeida Arquitectos: Modern Coastal Living in Costa Esmeralda

Nestled within the dunes of Costa Esmeralda, Loma House by Besonias Almeida Arquitectos is a stunning modern summer residence that harmonizes with its natural surroundings. Situated 390 km from Buenos Aires and just 13 km north of Pinamar, this private coastal development combines native pastures with young plantations of acacias and maritime pines, preserving mature forested sectors while offering breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.

The property features a 22-meter frontage and 50-meter depth, with a gently rising dune reaching up to 4 meters above the access road. This natural elevation enhances privacy and seclusion, reducing the need for barriers or additional landscaping interventions while integrating seamlessly with neighboring plots.

Design Concept: Concrete, Contrast, and Context

Loma House is primarily constructed in exposed concrete, creating a bold, minimalist aesthetic while emphasizing durability and low maintenance. To break the visual uniformity, selective materials were introduced to provide textural and color contrast, enhancing the architectural dialogue between solid concrete volumes and natural surroundings.

The architectural program focuses on functionality and family life. The residence includes:

• A master suite with private storage
• Two secondary bedrooms with shared bathrooms for children and guests
• Integrated social spaces connecting the living, dining, and kitchen areas
• Outdoor zones for beach vehicles and leisure activities

Navigating the Dune: Thoughtful Circulation and Privacy

The site's uneven topography presented both challenges and opportunities. Instead of altering the natural landscape, a pedestrian path with a five-landing staircase was designed to navigate the slope, leading visitors to a central courtyard. This courtyard, defined by vertical quebracho wood boards, acts as a private organizing space, connecting the social areas while shielding them from neighbors' views.

From the courtyard, the layout flows naturally: a corridor leads to secondary bedrooms and a general bathroom, while the master suite is accessed via a visual light entrance, maintaining privacy with panoramic street views. Large windows and open passages enhance indoor-outdoor continuity, ensuring that the house is both functional and immersive.

Announcing the Entrance: Subtle Volumetric Play

Given the distance from the access road, Loma House’s entrance had to be subtly marked. Architects achieved this by slightly rotating the staircase and courtyard layout, breaking the orthogonality of the floor plan. This introduces a visual cue for the entrance while creating a dynamic volumetric distortion, visible from the street and harmonizing with the surrounding dunes.

Architectural Highlights

• Minimalist exposed concrete with complementary textures
• Sustainable site integration respecting all existing trees
• Fluid indoor-outdoor circulation connecting social and private spaces
• Strategic volumetric shifts enhancing visual accessibility from the street
• Thoughtful planning for family-oriented summer living

Loma House exemplifies modern coastal architecture that balances bold minimalism, functional family living, and sensitive integration into a protected natural environment. Its combination of exposed concrete, organic wood elements, and careful site planning creates a summer retreat that is both visually striking and intimately connected to Costa Esmeralda’s unique landscape.

All photographs are works of  Hernán de Almeida