Located in the Valparaiso Region in Chile, this private residence was designed by Par Arquitectos to be built on a slightly sunken site with a gentle slope. The approach is that of a basic and optimized program complemented by exterior terraces and main rooms open to the panoramic views of the valley and of the ocean. The design is that of two rectangular pavilions that overlap in one corner, from where they develop perpendicularly. The top volume that contains the day area of the house runs towards the ocean, with the living room and the front so that it gets the best ocean views. The dining area shares the same open space as the living room, whereas the kitchen is closed and set at the back of this volume. The flat roof of the bottom volume serves as terrace for the living area. The main entrance is reached through a suspended wooden bridge that joins the rooftop terrace. The upper volume cantilevers in front, creating a covered terrace underneath that can be accessed from the three bedrooms of the bottom volume. The bottom volume spreads parallel to the coastline, so that all the three main bedrooms enjoy the garden and the open view. From the garden, a flight of stairs that connects to the top terrace runs on the side of the ground floor volume.
The façades of both volumes are clad horizontally in wood planks. At the top the planks conserve the natural wood color, whereas the planks covering the bottom volume have been stained black.
The many glazed surfaces and sliding doors offer beautiful views from the inside and easy access to admire the open views from the terraces and the garden.
The exterior landscaping is done with gravel, wooden beams and semi-desert bushy plants.
The interior design of the living and dining room is very eclectic. The furniture is a mix of wicker sofas with a rustic dining table and chairs and a retro game table with steel tube and leather vintage chairs.
The frame of the big side window of the bottom volume is doubled on the inside by a narrow shelf structure. This floor to ceiling structure in white stained wood serves for storage and display while taking up a minimum amount of space.
The bedrooms’ floor is in wood, compared to the one of the living space which is in black slate. This material is warmer and matches with the more intimate function of the space. The colors used are soft pastels like upstairs, and we find the same eclectic mix of furniture.
At night, the light from the inside illuminates the garden spreading magical shades. The lights of the houses from the coast underneath shine like a million light bugs.
