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Article from issue 10/2009 »Wallings, Rendering, Coloration (also available as English Edition 6/2009)«

Student Hostel in Austin

documentation p. 1040 - 1045
Architect Alejandro Aravena |

Drafts
1:12500 Site plan
1:20 Horizontal sections
1:20 Vertical sections
1:750 Floor plans
1:750 Sections

In its use – sleeping, studies, dining – the hostel is not unlike a monastery. Housed in the plinth storey are communal spaces oriented to the courtyard, while the private cells above look out on to the surroundings. Laid partly projecting and offset in header bond, partly in a regular stretcher bond, the handmade facing bricks from Mexico lend this monolithic building its rough-relief character. In contrast, the courtyard facades consist of bands of fixed coloured glazing built to US standards, with air-conditioned spaces internally. The courtyard itself provides shade from the sun and has many features of an urban space.