Max Núñez Arquitectos

House on the road to Farellones

Glass pavilion, planted patio and timber terrace overlooking a mountain valley.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes

HOUSE ON THE ROAD TO FARELLONES

Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes

LOCATION
Santiago, Chile

CATEGORY
Houses

AREA
230.0 m2

YEAR
2006

Text description provided by architect.

The design proceeds from the particularities of the terrain, its slope, its vegetation, its views and the requirements of the client, a single man who permitted the architects to redefine the program of a single-family house and to turn it into a single-person one in a spot that allows him to get away from the city and to live in a close relationship with the landscape of the Andean foothills.

House on the road to Farellones seen among pine trees on the hillside.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
Elevated view of the house, patio and terrace set among the Andean foothills.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
The house's glass pavilion and terrace project above a steep, wooded hillside.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
Timber terrace and low concrete edge framing a view of the mountain valley.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes

The topography is interrupted by an 8x36m horizontal plane running north-south against the slope.

The platform generates a stable and continuous surface area that includes a guest room, a patio, a pavilion, a terrace and a pool, which occupy its entire length.

Mountain views framed by large windows inside the pavilion.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
Warmly lit open-plan pavilion interior with dining and living areas.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes

The heavy surface of the patio, raised 70cm above the level of the platform, is defined by the base of a pre-existing hawthorn tree.

The pavilion is a glass enclosure beneath a light-weight roof, dark in color, an almost empty space from where the gaze traverses the glass in the direction of the foothills, the deep valley, the pines and the space immediately outside, taking in every field of vision the terrain offers.

Kitchen island and open doorway looking toward the terrace and valley.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
Bedroom with a concrete desk wall, timber floor and broad window.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
Bedroom and adjoining bathroom separated by translucent glass panels.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
Night view along the timber terrace into the illuminated glass pavilion.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes

The pavillion harnesses the sun but controls it by means of eaves and curtains. Two sliding windows, one in the north and the other in the south, enable the pavilion to be ventilated by making use of the wind that comes up through the valley.

Hanging over the slope, the terrace and the reflecting pool completely open up the landscape. The water reflects the light on the ceiling of the pavilion and keeps things fresh in the high summer temperatures.


Stone terrace with potted plants and a dog beside the house, overlooking the valley.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
Potted cacti and succulents on a stone patio beside a timber deck.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
Timber deck beside the glass pavilion, with potted cacti and a view across the valley.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
Interior corridor beside a glass bathroom partition and long dark counter.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
A staircase beside a glass wall descends toward a reflecting pool and terrace, with Andean foothills visible beyond.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
A narrow corridor with a timber floor and full-height glazing looks out toward the mountainous landscape.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
The open-plan kitchen and living area has dark timber ceilings, broad glazing, and views of the surrounding trees.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes
The kitchen and living area opens through expansive glazing onto a terrace overlooking the valley.
© Max Nuñez + Bernardo Valdes


Site plan showing the house layout among contour lines and existing trees on a sloping plot.
Plan drawing locating the house, patio, and pool within the sloped, tree-covered site.
Roof plan showing the house and terrace set among site contours and trees.


Section drawing showing the house stepping along the hillside, with a small transverse section at left.
Longitudinal section through the house and sloping terrain, with a small transverse section at right.
Side elevation showing the low house embedded along the hillside beneath a broad roof.
Elevation drawing of the house and terrace following the slope of the site.

Max Núñez Arquitectos
T +56 2 22334134
Max Núñez Arquitectos