Luxurious solar home wraps around a sloped green roof

Architecture and landscape unite in the MeMo House, a solar-powered home in Buenos Aires built to maximize green space.

Located between infill buildings, the MeMo House is the work of local studio Bam! Arquitectura, which based the design on sustainable design principles, such as low energy consumption and native plantings. The light-filled home embraces nature with its back garden and sloping green roof that connects all three floors.Located on a dense urban plot in San Isidro, the compact MeMo House was created for a client with a passion for landscaping and the environment. To minimize the loss of green space, the architects created a system of landscaped ramps that zigzag along the building’s three levels to create a continuous and accessible garden terrace. Planted with native flora, the landscaped ramps are visible from the exterior and interior, where they’re enclosed in full-height glazing.

Solar panels top the MeMo House and provide renewable energy for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Energy consumption is further minimized with effective insulation. Sun studies informed the building’s site placement to maximize solar energy and natural lighting.

Reduction in water consumption is achieved through efficient wastewater technology and the use of harvested rainwater for irrigation. “We conceive the sustainability of the project as a path, not as a goal,” wrote the architects. “Hence, we base our path on the LEED standards and we incorporate the concepts of durability and economy which are fundamental in our architectural works, thus satisfying the needs of the present generation without endangering the possibilities of future generations since the impact on the environment and its inhabitants is significantly reduced.”