above water

This house is located in Lo Curro hill in Santiago, Chile. The site, long and with gentle slope, is covered with a forest of eucalyptus trees planted 30 years ago and it is crossed by an irrigation canal. It faces north and has a front view of the southern slope of the hill with vegetation, and a side view of the area east towards the city and the Cordillera de los Andes. Schmidt Arquitectos Asociado was commissioned by clients that want formality and programmatic life in the city and the freedom of households out of it. All in all, the client wanted a modern but cozy house.

Organised by a glazed central corridor, the Architects proposed to extend the house on the ground that invites people to explore and enjoy it. This idea was emphasised in order to articulate the house with the landscape and each rooms take advantage of the slope and with through this set their spatial condition. The Architects have chosen natural textures such as stone, wood, slate tiles and Chilean native timber Coihue.

The boundary between inside and outside is diluted by windows that are recessed in the floor and beams. Sliding windows and doors are the only elements with frames and the stone walls of the garden terraces are introduced into the interior to reinforce the spatial continuity. Finally, the existing irrigation canal has been integrated to the house and landscape design, creating tiered lakes thus reflecting the environment, providing sound and moisture to the air.