Created by Chilean architecture firm dRN Architects, this stunning mountain chalet design sits 2,000m high in the pristine peace of the Andes Mountains. The rustic house style features a cozy, chalet-chic look which suits its surroundings to a T. Building mountain houses had its set of challenges, explain the architects. “The window of good weather for building at these altitudes is very narrow (six months), so a rapid construction plan was required. We decided to build with a prefabricated steel frame structure that would reduce assembly time. This metal cage was then covered with different layers of insulation responding to specific needs; much like the clothes of a mountain climber.” The steel frame is topped with a layer of plywood, double-thermal insulation, a waterproof membrane, and finally an exterior cladding of black slate. The minimalist stone house features few windows dotting the main structure for a simple facade in keeping with the “rustic cabin homes” theme. “Window openings are minimal and were placed so as to illuminate specific acts, or to frame certain parts of the surrounding landscape, keeping away the sight of the neighbors,” according to the architects. But the amazing surroundings views are not lost in this design, which features a glass-enclosed living area overhanging the rocky terrain, and a glassed-in loft area topping this unusual home which illuminates the outdoors by night. A steel walkway connects this upper glass loft to the road. dRN Architects
via Contemporist
photo credit: Felipe Camus
