Villa Arce in the Dominican Republic is an experimental project that houses Spanish architect Guzman Solana Rico and local interior designer Ruth Sanchez Vargas. They created the home in 2018-19. As the terrain is very small, they allowed the lower ground to be ventilated as freely as possible, thus enhancing the visual connection between the different Spaces. To support this idea, interior and exterior are fully integrated when the Windows and doors are opened. The central courtyard creates cross ventilation throughout the living room while serving as a canvas for the growing green area. To amplify this feeling of huge open space, they hid the fence inside the wall whenever possible.

Another major element that sets Villa Arce apart is the murals created by artist Elvira Solana. Ruth and Guzman imagine their home with one of Elvira's works. So hopefully it will be placed in a central area to make it stand out. For this purpose, the living room was the chosen location. The colors of the murals combine the building and the vegetation, creating a very special atmosphere.

The house is a mural, the mural is the house, Ruth and Guzman wanted the greenery, and the terracotta entrance is a tribute to Luis Barragan, both enhanced and integrated into the work. Beyond that, Ruth and Guzman kept the rest of the furniture to a minimum, using neutral tones, and wood and materials to bring texture rather than standout colors.

Guzman and Ruth founded Studio 3 in 2014. They started as an architecture studio and soon became an architecture and interior design department. They now specialise in luxury residential projects and offer turnkey contracts. Ruth is in charge of interior design and Guzman is in charge of construction and construction.