Architects: Gonzalo Bardach arquitectura
Area: 280 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: César Béjar
Lead Architect: Gonzalo Bardach
Category: Houses, Sustainability & Green Design
Design Team: Gonzalo Bardach, Martín Macca, Manuel Enriquez.
Landscape: Gonzalo Bardach
Interior Design: Gonzalo Bardach
Structural Engineer: VH, Julián Venturini
Total Built Area: 230 m²
Exterior Area: 50 m²
City: Pinamar
Country: Argentina
Forest House, a residential project designed by Gonzalo Bardach arquitectura on the coast of Buenos Aires, Argentina, has redefined the relationship between built form and landscape by embedding the architecture into a coniferous forest dune. The design engages the existing topography to create an experiential refuge that uses emptiness, light, and spatial continuity as central elements. Three semi-buried pavilions are organized on a single level and anchored to the terrain, connected by a garden roof that unifies the central social space and frames views of the forest. Liquid stone emerges as the project’s defining element, enabling the structure to follow the dune’s contours. A bio-environmental strategy prioritizes solar orientation, natural lighting, and cross ventilation to support sustainability. The architectural concept is rooted in emotional and contemplative experience, aiming to restore the connection between humans and nature.
The project is situated on the coast of Buenos Aires, Argentina, within a coniferous forest, positioned on a dune that serves as the foundation for creating emotional and experiential architecture through the connection between interior and exterior spaces.
This connection incorporates the natural topography and makes use of the existing slope to construct a refuge—a timeless space where emptiness and perspective are intentionally framed.
The morphology of the project brings architecture and landscape into harmony through fluid and organic forms that converge at the core of the design: a central void that establishes a connection with the surrounding forest. This spatial strategy links the front and back of the site, using the dune to shape an area for contemplation and silence—a place intended for reconnecting with nature.
Light plays a central role in the project, shaping a distinctive and ever-changing atmosphere within the space. The architecture functions as a living canvas, where light filters through the tree canopy and casts delicate shadow patterns across surfaces. In this forest refuge, sunlight becomes a dynamic element that continuously alters the spatial perception, encouraging a deeper connection with both nature and the self.
The materials are employed in their raw state—liquid stone, wood, iron, and glass—enabling the creation of distinct spaces characterized by warmth, while requiring minimal maintenance over their lifespan and integrating naturally with the surrounding environment. Liquid stone stands out as the project’s most expressive element, conforming to the site’s topography and supporting a seamless interaction between the architecture and the landscape. The material integration reinforces a sense of rootedness and refuge within the forest setting.
The landscape design was developed through a botanical research process focused on native species from the coastal eco-region of Buenos Aires. The outcome is a three-dimensional, multi-species landscape that serves not only human use but also provides ecological support for other species.
The project proposes an organic and less controlled approach to garden design and maintenance, where the landscape does not adhere to fixed patterns but is intended to evolve and change naturally over time. Emphasis is placed on biodiversity and adaptability, encouraging plants to grow and develop freely, allowing the garden to establish its own rhythm and character. This approach results in a landscape defined by the ongoing beauty and vitality of nature in continuous transformation.
The program is arranged on a single level, structured through three semi-buried pavilions with roofs anchored to the terrain, forming a topography that merges with the forest. These pavilions are linked by a garden roof that spans a central space, which accommodates the social areas—including the kitchen, dining room, and living room—integrated into a gallery and aligned with the natural contours of the site. The pavilions themselves contain the resting and service areas, creating a clear spatial organization within the landscape.
The bio-environmental design takes into account solar orientation and wind patterns, reflecting a commitment to sustainability by emphasizing natural lighting in all areas and promoting cross ventilation to maintain thermal comfort without mechanical intervention.
The essence of Forest architecture originates from the aspiration to restore the lost connection between nature and humanity. It aims to renew this ancestral relationship by creating spaces that encourage contemplation and introspection. Architecture in this context is understood not merely as physical construction, but as an emotional and experiential expression that honors the beauty and harmony of the natural world.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Pinamar, 7167, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
