Two Architects Create a "Living Example" of Why Prefab Works So Well in the Wild
The Buenos Aires couple turned to modular construction for their Patagonian vacation home as proof of concept for skeptical clients.
The Buenos Aires couple turned to modular construction for their Patagonian vacation home as proof of concept for skeptical clients.
Since the start of the pandemic, Nicolás Tovo and Teresa Sarmiento, founders of the architecture and design studio La Base, have pivoted much of their work to prefabricated construction. They find modular construction appealing in a country as vast and wild as Argentina after having created their own "living example": a prefab vacation home in the Patagonian town of Bariloche, a short flight from their place in Buenos Aires.
Architects Nicolás Tovo and Teresa Sarmiento designed their glass-encased vacation home for a site in Patagonia, a two-hour flight from their studio in Buenos Aires.
Photo: Cristóbal Palma
"We saw that there was a big resistance from clients regarding the modular system, and we decided to do this house as a test," explains Nicolás. In 2022, he and Teresa teamed up with Leandro Seoane at Place, an Argentine prefab company, to design the one-level, one-bedroom, 840-square-foot house. A friend, Martin Llan de Rosos, had the site: a terraced plot on a forested hill above an Andean lake. They all share the house, using an Excel spreadsheet to block out dates, such as popular ski weekends in winter.
Nicolás (above right) calls it "a magical enclave" overlooking Nahuel Huapi Lake. "It’s a panoramic viewpoint where we can watch what happens," adds Teresa (above left).
Photo: Cristóbal Palma
Photo: Cristóbal Palma
See the full story on Dwell.com: Two Architects Create a "Living Example" of Why Prefab Works So Well in the Wild
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