Santiago studio Guillermo Acuña Arquitectos Asociados has separated a rural house near the ocean in Chile into a pair of elevated structures topped with grooved-metal roofs.
Guillermo Acuña Arquitectos Asociados completed the house in Aguantao, which is located on the edge of the rugged Peninsula de Rilán on the Chiloé archipelago. The metal roof extends over glazed walls and outdoor decks to offer protection from "strong winds and heavy storms from the west" in the area.
The roofing is Instapanel PV4 ridged panels produced by Chilean company Citanc from a material it describes as Zincalum, which is a sheet of steel protected by alloys of aluminium and zinc.
"Made from ordinary materials and repetitive constructive details, I'd say that it is the roof and its continuous profile that marks and measures the place," studio founder Guillermo Acuña told Dezeen.
Called Casa Aguantao, the house is split into two overlapping volumes that are elevated about its grassy hillside on pine-wood stilts. The architect chose the formation to allow for natural ventilation and also to separate the functions inside the house.
"The plan resolves the common areas and bedrooms with a simple scheme of two overlapping naves," Acuña added.
Aside from glazed walls that offer views of the surroundings, the exterior is clad with weathered pine slats that match the stilts and two ramps that are placed on opposite sides of the house and lead to an entrance.
Inside, the pale pine wood ceiling and beams are left exposed, matching the tones of grooved pine wood that covers the walls. The kitchen counter and cupboards are also built from wood to complement this aesthetic.
The kitchen counter ends with a stove that faces the adjoining living area that is furnished with dark, rustic wooden stools and a grey sofa. Glass doors open from here to lead to the deck.
While the communal volume faces this view, the second volume extends in the other direction to offer privacy to the bedrooms. These include two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms of similar sizes at the front, one of which has a wooden ladder that leads up to a small alcove.
The larger master suite is placed at the rear and has access to a private outdoor deck.
Acuña runs his eponymous architecture studio GAAA in Lo Barnechea, Chile. His other projects include his self-designed retreat just off the Chiloe archipelago's Rilan Bay in the south of Chile. Called Isla Lebe, the project involved renovating an old boathouse and adding a wide wooden stair to the front.
Photography is by Cristóbal Palma.