![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_2364_hero-852x479.jpg)
Board-marked concrete house by Paz Arquitectura sits against a hill in Guatemala
Orthogonal concrete planes filled in with glass form this three-storey residence in a hilly area outside Guatemala's capital, by local firm Paz Arquitectura.
![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_2364_col_5-852x538.jpg)
Aylvalaan House is based on stacked rectangular volumes embedded into a slope near Guatemala City, with the majority of its front facade covered in floor-to-ceiling windows.
The main floor of the home is situated in the middle, with a lower level containing offices and social areas that meet a sloping backyard.
![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_sq-852x852.jpg)
The home is designed for a couple, with "Aylvalaan [being] the name of the street the couple lived during their first years together in Holand", said Paz Arquitectura from Guatemala City.
![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_2364_col_2-852x582.jpg)
Board-marked concrete forms the external walls, floors and roof planes – serving as the focal point of the design. Other industrial-style materials and features like stainless steel, ample glazing, metal window ribbons and exposed beams are all also used.
![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_2364_col_11-852x571.jpg)
An exterior portion of the ground floor is painted white to stand out against the concrete. Other surfaces such as floors, cabinetry, decking and stairwells are made from local, warm-toned conacaste wood.
![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_2364_col_21-852x1205.jpg)
The floor plan of Aylvalaan House incorporates a series of lofted nooks and outdoor patios, varying from level to level.
A massive wood door acts as a main entrance and rotates like a moving wall to transform the foyer into an open-air room.
![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_2364_col_19-852x569.jpg)
On the main level is a living room with a double-height feature wall of board-marked concrete. A floating steel stairwell intersects the space and leads to a mezzanine overlooking the lounge.
![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_2364_col_20-852x580.jpg)
"The use of several materials – stucco, concrete, and wood – that don't touch, generate of a sense of lightness," said the firm.
![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_2364_col_25-852x627.jpg)
A kitchen nearby has white countertops and wood cabinetry. An island has a lower countertop addition that serves as a dining table with room for seven. Other walls are painted sage and grey, visually tying in with polished concrete floors.
![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_2364_col_14-852x596.jpg)
Off the living room and kitchen is a large decked area that is shaded by a slatted timber pergola overhead. Smaller patios above create a staggered appearance, accentuated by the home's split levels.
![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_2364_col_10-852x1214.jpg)
Upstairs is a master bedroom and ensuite, with a private living room formed from a sliding glass door. Also included on this level are two guest bedrooms separated by a bathroom.
Outside, a roof is formed from a pair of overlapping L-shaped concrete sections. The top left and right corners of the residence are formed from their 90-degree joints.
![Ayvalaan House by Paz Arquitectura](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2018/03/ayvalaan-house-paz-arquitectura-architecture-residential-concrete-guatemala_dezeen_2364_col_7-852x556.jpg)
Dezeen has published only a few projects in Guatemala on Dezeen, but those we have in the Central American country include a headquarters with a double-height atrium and open-plan workspace for a sugar cane plantation by Cúre and Penabad, and a fashion store with in-house cafe defined by its bright white exterior by Taller KEN.
Photography is by Andres Asturias.
Project credits:
Project lead: Alejandro Paz
Structural engineer: Consultores Estructurales
Construction and hidraulic engineer:: Conarq
Elecrical engineer: PTS