How about a little oasis in the city? Casa Colectiva Parque Los Andes offers just that. This housing complex has a rich history. It exemplifies efficient collective housing projects.
Casa Colectiva Parque Los Andes sits in Chacarita. Its location is between Leiva, Rodney, Concepción Arenal and Guzmán streets. The Municipality of Buenos Aires built it in 1925. Its purpose was to house workers and employees. Fermín Bereterbide won the architectural design contest. He was a young professional with socialist ideals.
Casa Colectiva Parque Los Andes is also known as Barrio Parque Los Andes. This micro-neighborhood includes 12 buildings. Each building is 10 meters wide. They have a ground floor and three upper levels. The buildings stand independently. Spaces circulate between them. This design avoids closed courtyards. Buildings do not cast shadows on each other.
Originally, the construction costs could not exceed $1,878,580. The project needed to house 90 to 100 families. Each family was assumed to have four children. This meant accommodating roughly 200 adults and 400 children. Besides multiple rooms, each apartment had to include a kitchen. A bathroom with a bathtub, sink, and toilet was also required.
The design left about 50% of the land free. This ensured open circulation. It avoided air shafts and enclosed corridors. A rationalist architectural approach was favored. Ornamentation was avoided.
The 130 apartments were distributed in an alveolar pattern. Apartments stretched across the buildings’ width. Rooms faced one side and services the other. This allowed ventilation and independence for each unit. Marble staircases and double hollow brick walls separated them.
Apartments feature solid oak doors. Pinotea wood covers the floors. Tiles and ironwork were brought from France. Twenty-three commercial spaces each had two rooms. There was also a small performance hall. It was meant for theater, cinema, a library, classes, and lectures. A kindergarten was included as well. Today, these spaces have become apartments or offices.
The open space makes up 63% of the land. It includes three patios. The central patio has a water fountain. Trees and playgrounds dot the area.
Casa Colectiva Parque Los Andes earned historical protection status in 2010. This recognizes it as an early social housing example in Buenos Aires.
Several productions have filmed here. These include “Motivos para no enamorarse.” The community actively maintains the complex. Residents ensure the original design is respected. However, interior modifications are allowed with approval. Originally, ground-floor spaces facing the street were commercial. Now, most are private residences.
Living in Casa Colectiva Parque Los Andes is like residing in an oasis. Professionals blend living and work within its walls. Architects, writers, and audiovisual producers call it home.
The complex also initially had hot water and telephone service. This was innovative when it was built. These features improved the quality of life. The demand is high for those seeking a collective, bohemian lifestyle. It is a place that blends history, community, and urban living.