UAN House / Alric Galindez Arquitectos

Architects: Alric Galindez Arquitectos
Area: 468 m²
Year: 2023
Photography: Gaston Schouabs
Lead Architects: Carlos Galindez, Santiago Alric, Federico Lloveras, Luciano Capaccioli
Design Team: Sofia Videla, Agustina Cuoco
Technical Team: Pablo Benavides, Arturo Peruzzotti, Eduardo Gleinig
City: San Carlos de Bariloche
Country: Argentina

UAN House by Alric Galindez Arquitectos is a residence in San Carlos de Bariloche designed to coexist seamlessly with its Patagonian surroundings. Set amid low, dense vegetation on a gentle slope, the 468-square-metre dwelling is organized into two distinct volumes: one for living and one for the garden. To preserve the natural terrain, the architects inverted the traditional residential layout, positioning living and master bedroom spaces on the upper level and placing secondary rooms and service areas below. The home’s exterior is clad entirely in black slate, creating a unified, monolithic presence that harmonizes with the landscape. Inside, a warm wooden core contrasts the dark exterior, referencing local construction traditions. Large terraces and an elevated bridge integrate the house with the environment while minimizing site disturbance, offering panoramic views of the lake and surrounding hills.

Situated in the dramatic natural context of San Carlos de Bariloche, UAN House exemplifies Alric Galindez Arquitectos’ sensitivity to terrain and landscape. The project unfolds on a sloping site that descends toward the street, its form emerging as a careful negotiation between built volume and untouched vegetation. Rather than imposing a structure upon the landscape, the architects conceived two interrelated elements: a residential block and a raised garden platform, both designed to rest lightly upon the terrain.

Inverting the conventional domestic hierarchy, the design situates the primary living spaces and main bedroom on the upper floor, maximizing exposure to views of the lake and the distant Ventana and Catedral hills. Below, the children’s rooms, guest quarters, and service areas are sheltered within the slope, maintaining privacy and thermal stability. The offset between levels introduces a generous terrace that acts as an intermediary between interior and landscape, while the overhang beneath forms a sheltered entry and a practical area for vehicles and bicycles.

Access to the dwelling occurs via a ramped bridge that connects directly to the upper floor, a gesture that minimizes ground intervention and preserves the original topography. This deliberate elevation allows the surrounding vegetation to continue thriving beneath the structure, reinforcing the project’s environmental sensitivity.

The architectural expression relies on a disciplined palette. Black slate envelops both walls and roof, producing a singular, sculptural form whose neutral tone allows the house to recede into the shadowy greens of the site. In contrast, the interior unfolds as a wooden volume, evoking the warmth of traditional Patagonian homes while establishing a tactile counterpoint to the slate exterior. The main floor, conceived as an open plan, extends seamlessly toward the terrace, ensuring that views and natural light define the experience of daily life.

Through its restrained geometry and material coherence, UAN House becomes a quiet presence in the landscape. It neither dominates nor disappears but rather mediates between architecture and nature, embodying a balance that characterizes the practice’s ongoing exploration of contemporary life within the Argentine landscape.