Casa Chamisero designed by GITC Arquitectura is a single family home in a suburban zone, north of Santiago, in a semi-arid climate, with a long summer season (7 months) and low winter temperatures. It is located on a private lot, very close to freeways that connect to the city, but in it is also surrounded by nature, isolated from construction and neighbors.
The Project is constructed on a noble plain, leveled, horizontal, and has an intense and dynamic house program that consists of the main access, parking, common areas, backyard, pool, and areas for parties and family reunions. There are two more sheltered areas, the second level, composed of bedrooms, and the basement, a multi-use recreational program with movie theater, aquariums, music, etc.
The construction is defined by a reinforced concrete piece, with complex geometry and multiple ways to explore. It is constructed on a flat habitable plane, noble, ample and safe, that also permits a steel and wood building with simple and efficient geometry that makes it recognizable and dominant in the valley.
The design process took two years with active participation of the client. The quality of the location and the architectural proposal took into consideration the permanent incorporation of new requirements and systems throughout the design process. For example, an ornamental pond with fish and plants, a low energy consumption lighting project, an elevator, solar panels to generate electricity, an automation system, fire alarms and extinguisher, closed circuit television system, access control, a landscape design with multiple ways to wander with different types of scenery, and more.
bajo las imágenes de referencia…
It was a mandate full of programs, systems and details, on difficult terrain with a lot of potential. For this reason, integration and coordination were key to achieving a recognizable geometry, one that is synthetic but also expresses the complexity that it generates. there were present throughout the design and construction process, a couple of referential and inspiring images, medieval engravings with fantastic representations and scenes, that expressed in a very assertive way, these excess, the effort y a formal complexity and expressivity. In contradistinction to the medieval images, Chamisero House dialogs friendly with the environment, doesn’t fight against it.
The final design was not presented exactly as the client first proposed. On the contrary, it is a result of a participatory process between the architect, the client, and the location; the project design was not finished until all of the parties agreed on the result.
Photography by Felipe Díaz Contardo