- Project: Mirador House
- Architect: Lépore & Salvini – Arquitectura & Atelier
- Location: Argentina, Mar Del Plata
- Year: 2020
- Area: 327 m2
- Photography: Victoria E. Sierra King
Perched on one of the highest blocks of Mar del Plata’s southern San Carlos neighborhood, Mirador House by Lépore & Salvini – Arquitectura & Atelier is a residence that fuses landscape, geology, and architecture into a harmonious whole. Designed for a renowned local landscaper and his wife, the home’s distinctive ‘Greek Y’ plan frames panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean, the dramatic southern cliffs, and the iconic formation of La Restinga.
Site and Concept
The site’s privileged location overlooking the ocean directly influenced the design. The architects envisioned the house as a viewfinder, capturing the surrounding landscape in two distinct “photographs”:
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To the south, where the sea crashes against rugged cliffs.
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To the northeast, where the Tandilia mountain range meets the sea at La Restinga.
This decision led to the Y-shaped upper floor, a form that maximizes exposure to the views while shaping the residence into a unique dialogue with its environment.
Spatial Organization
The house is divided into two main levels:
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Upper Floor: Designed for daily living and oriented toward the views, this level includes the kitchen, dining and living areas, and the master bedroom. The branching arms of the Y act as canyons that frame the ocean and horizon.
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Ground Floor: More discreet, this level blends into the garden, containing the garage, laundry, guest bedroom, and service areas. Its integration with the vegetation minimizes the visual impact while enhancing privacy.
Connection to Landscape and Climate
The morphology of Mirador House not only frames views but also provides environmental protection. Its orientation shelters the terraces and gardens from Mar del Plata’s cold southeastern winds, allowing native plants and designed landscapes to thrive under favorable sun exposure.
The surrounding garden of native species anchors the house in its local ecology, tying it to the cliffs formed over centuries by Andean sediments carried by wind. This geological narrative becomes part of the home’s identity, blurring the boundaries between natural history and built form.
Materials and Atmosphere
The design emphasizes a balance between refinement and rootedness. Large openings frame the views like living artworks, while terraces and outdoor spaces extend daily life into the landscape. Textural materials and natural finishes reinforce the connection to earth, sea, and sky.
With Mirador House, Lépore & Salvini achieved a residence that is simultaneously a home, a landscape frame, and a geological narrative. By translating the power of Mar del Plata’s cliffs and coastline into architectural form, the project becomes a sophisticated retreat in dialogue with its natural surroundings—a place where architecture, landscape, and geology converge in timeless harmony.
