AV HOUSE / Cristián Romero Valente

Architects: Cristián Romero Valente
Area: 284 m²
Year: 2016
Photography: Pablo Casals Aguirre
Manufacturers: Sherwin-Williams, Acuasol Piscinas, CLC Maderas, Coggiola Mármoles, Melón Hormigones, Winglass
Calculating Engineer: Ruiz y Saavedra
City: Maitencillo
Country: Chile

AV House residential building, designed by Cristián Romero Valente in Maitencillo, Chile, has redefined site-responsive coastal architecture by adapting to steep terrain while maintaining continuous views toward the Pacific Ocean, completed in 2016. The design rotates the house toward the east to capture the ocean view while avoiding southern exposure to wind. A detached access ramp introduces a spatial threshold and provides circulation between street level and the residence. The roof, aligned with the street, preserves horizon lines and visual continuity. A mid-level entry connects to a double-height living space and a sequence of platforms that concludes with a rooftop terrace designed for observation. The project uses sectional layering and spatial transitions to frame the coastal landscape as a central element of the design.

AV House, designed by Cristián Romero Valente, occupies a steeply sloped site in Maitencillo, Chile. The terrain sits alongside a south-facing gorge, away from the oceanfront to the east. To retain views of the Pacific Ocean and reduce exposure to prevailing winds, the structure was rotated toward the east.

It’s a silent volume, not meant to impress, but to endure. It’s designed to be lived calmly, in balance with the landscape.

Interview with Cristián Romero Valente of Romero Valente Arquitectura

The roof level aligns directly with the street and parking area, allowing ocean views to remain unobstructed from public and private zones. This alignment reinforces the horizontality of the surrounding topography, a strategy extended through the stepped internal layout. Each level maintains direct visual access to the sea, both from within the house and from exterior terraces.

A freestanding access ramp serves as a connection between the street and the residence. The need for smooth mobility across the sloped site presented an architectural opportunity. By introducing a spatial separation between the house and the street, the ramp becomes a distinct design element that establishes a gradual transition into the home.

The entrance is located at an intermediate level, set below the street and above the ground floor. Upon entry, a hall opens to a balcony overlooking a double-height living room and framing an open view of the coastline. This balcony organizes the spatial sequence and introduces the vertical layering of the interior.

The roof functions as an accessible platform intended for contemplation. It is reached through a circulation route formed by the external ramp and internal hall. This continuous ascending path concludes at the flat roof, where the house engages the horizon line, reinforcing its role as a coastal observatory integrated into the terrain.

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Project Location

Address: Maitencillo, Chile

Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.