Small apartment building puts a playful spin on brick

There’s no single ideal way to deploy brick—seriously, just look at the glorious variety—but this small apartment building in Mendoza, Argentina, makes the case for a light and layered approach to masonry.

For a four-unit building in an industrial part of the city, Primer Piso Arquitectos put the “common brick” to good use, supplemented by a classic material palette of concrete, wood, granite, and stone tiles.

Arq Luis Abba

The exterior is built from layers of brick highlighting contrasting shapes and textures. At the entrance, a curved wall provides the boundaries of an inner courtyard and another brick wall houses a lush vertical garden.

Meanwhile, lattice brick screens filter in patterned light and help create some privacy between the units. Porthole windows and walls of glass add to the variation in lighting and views. Inside, each apartment contains a bedroom, bathroom, and open living and dining area with a kitchen outfitted in wood.

Arq Luis Abba

Arq Luis Abba

Arq Luis Abba