HMA, Atelier Vilela in Buenos Aires.

Fernando Hitzig and Leonardo Militello, from Argentine architecture studio, HM.arquitectos have refurbished and extended renovated an existing, self-built construction in Buenos Aires. Their redevelopment maximised this mid-twentieth century building also by bringing into play materials used locally.



What used to be the neighbourhood bike store – a red brick building on the street corner – is now a block of units, but it still remains faithful to its original vocation, because it also houses an arts and crafts studio. 



Architects Fernando Hitzig and Leonardo Militello from HM.arquitectos refurbished the existing, irregular self-built without wiping out its history. The extension starts with a light metal structure that raises the building’s roof and increases the useable area by adding new floors. This made it possible to increase the height of each of the three units.





The team used simple materials for the 62-square metre undercover extension and the 53-square metre timber rooftop deck. Exposed concrete is featured in the interiors, along with timber floors and plywood panels on the walls.





Corrugated iron wraps the exterior. The architects from HM.arquitectos have used white corrugated iron and mesh metal cladding which references the traditional corrugated iron roofs popular in this district. Here in the Atelier Vilela project this material takes on brand new elegance, particularly in the white tower building used as a Yoga studio. 



It really doesn’t take much to harmoniously bring together past and present with the simple use of local materials.

Project: HM.Arquitectos _ Fernando Hitzig & Leonardo G. Militello 
Collaborators: Florencia Schvartzman, Lorhena Cáceres Suárez 
Structural Advisor: Carlos Gandini 
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Photography: Federico Kulekdjian 
Year: 2013-2014