Lo Curro House / Nicolas Loi

Architects: Nicolas Loi
Location: Lo Curro, Vitacura, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile
Area: 250 sqm
Year: 2013
Photographs: Marcos Mendizabal

From the architect. The house is located in Lo Curro, a residential area of Santiago, Chile. The area has some hills and forest, with a great view of the city of Santiago. The design strategy is based on a 7 x 25 meter rectangle, located over an existing parking space.

The ground level of the house is a continuous space than contains the family area, living room, dining room, kitchen and an interior courtyard. The bedrooms are located in the first floor, and there is a rooftop terrace on the top of the house.

The design tries to be the most simple possible in its shape – a rectangle-, and aims to put the design stress in the construction and materials. Several materials are used: concrete, wood, metal cladding, etc., in order to give intent and expression to the design.

The design aims to achieve an equilibrium between the abstract and the natural; to use the most simple and abstract geometry but to build it with gentle materials that make a connection with its users.

There is also an intent to emphasize the basic geometry of the house represented by 3 axis: Vertical, horizontal and the depth, as the natural position of the human being in the nature, (the vertical position of the human body, the horizontal horizon, and the depth of walking), with the nature, represented by the use of rustic materials, in order to achieve the balance between abstract construction and natural environment.