You Can See Right Through Their Glassy Cabin on the Chilean Coast
"Initially, we proposed fewer glass panes to control sunlight and energy loss," says architect Daniel Iragüen. "But in the end, we made the house almost completely transparent."
"Initially, we proposed fewer glass panes to control sunlight and energy loss," says architect Daniel Iragüen. "But in the end, we made the house almost completely transparent."
For almost two decades, Elisabeth Inostroza and Francisco Salinas lived in Iquique, a port city in Chile’s northern reaches. As time went by and their grown children moved to Santiago, where many other relatives also live, they found themselves making the 1,000-mile trip south more times than they could count.
"We began to feel a little isolated from our family," says Francisco, "but we also wanted to enjoy the beach and have a bit of countryside around us." So, the couple bought 1.2 acres of land near the ocean in an area called Algarrobo, some 90 minutes away from Santiago by car. Set amidst a thicket of bushes and trees on a 600-foot-high sloped plateau with views of the Pacific Ocean to the west and a ravine to the south, the lot had everything the couple wanted—except a house.
This glass-walled, timber-framed house in the seaside town of Algarrobo, Chile, was designed by Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos for a retired couple who wanted to be near the ocean but not far from Santiago, where many family members live.
Photo: Pablo Casals Aguirre
One of their three sons suggested calling his friends Daniel Iragüen and Claudio Viñuela of Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos, a studio known for its minimalist lines and use of natural materials. "We had no idea what kind of house we wanted," says Francisco. "Just something spacious with some nice views."
To avoid interfering too much with the sloping site, the architects raised the 2,000-square-foot home on low stilts placed in diagonal patterns. All of the timber was prefabricated to the architects’ specification by a specialized vendor and shipped ready for assembly.
Photo: Pablo Casals Aguirre
Only the north-facing side of the house, seen here, has sections with opaque timber walls to protect the primary suite (and a mud room) from the bright southern hemisphere rays. Behind the glass doors is an interior patio outfitted with a woodburning parrilla.
Photo: Pablo Casals Aguirre
See the full story on Dwell.com: You Can See Right Through Their Glassy Cabin on the Chilean Coast
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