2016 Krucker Bates Master Thesis at the Technical University of Munich
by Dominic Horn
by Dominic Horn
Casa Triptica in Santiago de Chile
Chile is vast. The vastness cannot be overstated, with its length spanning over 4300 km, while remaining extremely narrow at around 200km in width. This means that the North, centre and South of Chile are different in both climate and culture, each with their own traditions, food and architecture. The country rests between the large Andes mountains to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
The country was under Inca rule up until its colonization by the Spanish in the mid-16th cetury. In the early 19th Century, the country declared independence and became an authoritarian republic. Chile had several transitions; to its socialist existence until the coup d’état in 1973, after which a military dictatorship ruled until 1989. Still today, history of this conflict seeps into all corners of the country, with several large-scale projects such as the Museum of Memory and Human Rights being dedicated to remembrance.
Today, Chile is prosperous, with both its economy and its culture thriving.
In 2016, Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena was chosen to receive the Pritzker prize, as well as being chosen to host the Biennale. The world now looks to Chile, to discover what architectural gems it had hidden.
This thesis focuses on the design of a series of villas, a small community on the hillside in the commune of Lo Barnechea.
The goal was to develop an attractive, healthy, environmentally conscious, context-driven ensemble of houses; under consideration of the topography, terrain, earthquake resilience, water access, circulation, flora, materiality, light, shade, and essence of Chile. Considerations of density, as well as typical Chilean quality of life are also factors. A modest incision into the topography using slim, lengthy forms.
Program
- 3 villas, grand in their intention yet modest in their execution
- Varying typologies reacting to their location, their orientation, their underlying philosophical nature
- Varying typologies reacting to their location, their orientation, their underlying philosophical nature
- Not forgetting to take advantage of northern light (desirable in the southern hemisphere), maximising light-gain in
winter and reducing it in summer.
- The houses are to have similar surfaces, none gaining more importance than any other. Their balance is very important to the project
I propose three villas, each with their own ambitions, shaped individually to develop unique identities and to respond to their location on the site. Distributed evenly, their lengths and distinct volumes can be appreciated by visitors from the foot of the mountain, continuing peripherally as the access leads around the site. Their narrow, 6m wide body allows for a subtle incision into the mountain, reducing cost and labour.
Their shapes define their character, with the lowest being called “the towering”, the middle being called “the balanced” and the upper being “the embracer”, recalling noble titles of past times. Their floor plans reflect their characters, and the sequence of experiences offered by each are to lend a sense of uniqueness and pride to their owners. Views from one villa to another are extremely limited, with only small fragments choosing to show themselves to remind each neighbour they are part of a greater ensemble.
Difficult terrain conditions of the area afforded me with an opportunity to develop a plateau, reminiscent of the Italian mountain villa, bearing a welcoming, a forecourt and the house, the “monument” standing at the end. This space allows for some freedom of movement and connection to the landscape, boasts unique swimming pools and pergolas, dense flora and terrazzo floors. Again, each courtyard has its own sense of purpose and relationship to their houses. Thought and attention has been given to thickening north-facing walls (north being desirable in the southern hemisphere) to prevent undesired solar heat gain, while making incisions using generous loggias in each home to provide serious depth to the winter sun.
elevations of the courtyard façades of the three villas
The Embracer
The uppermost of the three, and the only villa to have only one floor. It features the smallest of the courtyards, due to its exposed, harsher and steeper location on the ste. The house envelopes most of the plateau, including some of the pool, yet retains its connection by extruding out of the facade and providing partial view over the landscape. The sequences of rooms are thoroughly planned, imagining a sense of increasing privacy as you progress deeper into the home. The approach to the planning of the floor plans of all three villas emerged from the belief of guiding the guests, as well as the natural chaos delivered by the bend in the shape of the plateau. The orthogonality is broken and diagonals take shape, guiding the floor plan with its irregularity until it manages to find right angles again. Courtyards and openings happen on both sides, with greater intensity however towards the mountain. The shape appears to hug the mountain as if to shelter itself, gliding along the contours. The Embracer.
The Balanced
The central villa, halfway down the mountain. This home now boasts two floors, a longer courtyard, with a balcony hanging gently off the facade towards the courtyard, presenting the “domain” to the owners. The flow of the progression is also from more public to increasingly private, but the arrangement switches from circulating along the Northern valley, to up a spilar staircase and continuing toward the mountain. The shape appears to bend outwards near the garage to welcome guests, and yet bends towards the mountain with the home. The Balanced.
The Tower
The lowest villa features the most magnificent courtyard, but the shortest villa. Making up for this fact are its three floors, earning the name The Tower. Due to this house not featuring any bends, the floor plans are more stable, with only gentle diagonals being used when sensible for improving views and sun penetration in winter. The circulation leads guests on a journey not only through the courtyard, but also upwards along all edges of the home, beginning on the loggia towards the north, and continuing in a spiral up through the floors along the centre and other edges, guiding them through the main spaces which always have openings to take advantage of the spectacular views in all directions of the tower.
I chose to construct certain spaces as models to showcase the atmosphere that I am going for. Subtle interior tones contrast the harsh accents from the rough red concrete, the exterior and corridors diffuse themselves, avoiding harsh thresholds between spaces.
I find the night shots equally important, transforming the open, bright, gentle colours into warmer, deeper, intimate colours. All railings are intended to be copper, that with age will lose their bronze shine only to replace it with turquoise-green, even enhancing its relationship with the building. This is the changing intention of the project, with materials which display longevity, and colours which speak different languages depending on which time of day it is. Fully intentional, I want these homes to be alive, covered in greenery, and to display an ethereal quality to its inhabitants.
just a great big thank you to everyone who helped
Dominic Emanuel Horn 2016
