House In Puertecillo / Estudio Base Arquitectos

Architects: Estudio Base Arquitectos
Area: 170 m²
Year: 2019
Photography: Pablo Casals
Location: Puertecillo, Navidad
Country: Chile

House in Puertecillo by Estudio Base Arquitectos occupies a steep coastal slope in the district of Navidad, Cardenal Caro Province, Chile, overlooking a ravine that descends toward the Pacific Ocean. The design responds directly to the land’s topography through a composition of terraces that adapt to the incline while framing views of the surrounding valley and sea. Constructed primarily in wood, the house employs chamber-dried pine boards treated with a black tint to form a ventilated façade that protects against the coastal climate and allows the structure to merge visually with the vegetation. Distributed across three levels, the home separates public and private functions while maintaining a continuous relationship with the outdoors. A habitable roof terrace crowns the composition, offering expansive panoramic views that capture the essence of Puertecillo’s natural beauty.

House in puertecillo / estudio base arquitectos

Set within the rugged upper reaches of Puertecillo, the project embodies a careful negotiation between architecture and landscape. The steep terrain presented both challenge and opportunity, prompting a strategy that integrates the dwelling into its site through a sequence of horizontal planes. Each terrace follows the contour of the hill, enabling the interior spaces to open toward the ravine and the sea beyond while establishing a sense of continuity between built form and nature. The result is a residence that feels anchored to its slope yet oriented toward the horizon.

Materiality plays a central role in defining the character of the house. Estudio Base Arquitectos selected wood as the principal material for its resilience and adaptability in coastal environments. The exterior cladding of chamber-dried pine, finished in black, reinforces the building’s discreet presence in the landscape. The ventilated façade system not only enhances thermal performance but also contributes to the longevity of the timber surfaces exposed to sea air and sunlight. Through this restrained palette, the house assumes a quiet identity that harmonizes with its setting rather than asserting dominance over it.

Spatially, the house unfolds across three distinct levels that correspond to the natural descent of the site. The main level accommodates the living and sleeping areas, arranged to capture afternoon light and views across the valley. Below, a secondary level provides shaded terraces and storage areas that open directly to a protected patio, offering shelter from coastal winds. Above, the roof transforms into a generous terrace that extends the domestic space upward, establishing a platform for contemplation of the surrounding landscape and the vast expanse of ocean.

Beyond its physical composition, the project expresses a broader reflection on inhabiting the Chilean coast. The architects approached the house not as an isolated object but as an extension of the terrain, where architecture becomes a mediator between human presence and natural continuity. By working with the slope rather than against it, the design preserves the integrity of the site while offering diverse spatial experiences tied to climate, view, and orientation. This sensitivity defines the work as both contextual and contemporary.

House in Puertecillo ultimately demonstrates how simplicity and precision can yield a profound architectural response. Through modest materials and measured gestures, Estudio Base Arquitectos achieved a structure that coexists seamlessly with its environment. The home stands as a retreat attuned to the rhythm of wind, sun, and sea, embodying the spirit of Puertecillo’s tranquil landscape while reaffirming the enduring dialogue between architecture and nature along Chile’s central coast.