Project: House on the Top
Architects: Mutar Estudio
Location: Curanipe, Chile
Area: 1,614 sq ft
Photographs by: Leo Basoalto
House on the Top by Mutar Estudio
Designed by Mutar Estudio, the House on the Top is a modern residence commissioned by two couples who co-own a site near Curanipe, a coastal town in Chile.
It is divided into three pavilions. Two of them are intended as private sections for each couples while the third one is more of a communal area where they can interact and socialize with each other. The entire building is also raised on a podium that gives it better views of the Chovellen River. The large windows frame the expansive vistas while also harvesting natural light.
Curanipe is a small coastal town in the middle part of Chile; territory of subsistence agriculture, artisanal fishing and summer tourism. In this place two couples owned a site far away from the sea, but compensated with large views towards the ravine of Chovellén River. The site is on the highest point of the ravine where the slope descends gently to the sea and abruptly to the river.
Because of its geographic condition the place lacks of a horizontal ground, reason why the architecture tries to supply that lack building a podium that look towards the ravine.
This house should give occasional shelter to the both couples who would use it together or separated. Given this condition of occupation, the program divides itself in three pavilions where each couple would be “owner” of one of this ones, meanwhile the third one – at center – would contain the common areas. The three pavilions locate parallel to each other but displaced in order to accommodate at the diagonal slope of the site.
The distant landscape is captured by interior through large openings that frame it – like big paintings – extending the interior limits beyond its borders.
