Chilean studio WMR Arquitectos has balanced a slanted wooden house with open interiors on a hillside overlooking the sea in Matanzas, Chile.
Known as Casa Ladera, the 2,130-square foot (198-square metre) residence was completed in 2022 in La Vega de Pupuya along Chile's central coast, which is known for its high cliffs and windy climate.
Rather than sitting atop the cliffs like most neighbouring houses, Casa Ladera hangs onto a 45-degree slope on the south-facing site to achieve an unobstructed view of the ocean and valley, while protecting the home from wind.
WMR Arquitectos, which is based in Santiago, positioned the home to adapt itself to the natural terrain rather than changing the earth to fit the design.
"The four levels of the house are built through a system of pillars and wooden beams, creating a structural fabric that expands from the topographic line," the team told Dezeen.
"The skeleton of the house functions as a reticulated beam that rests on the most critical part of the terrain."
The dark-coloured, locally grown pine exoskeleton serves as a frame for the glass walls that run in vertical bands along the house.
Smaller natural pine members form the mullions and add repetition to the facade, while creating a warm interior.
The home functions as a large staircase, cascading down the site, separated into steps and risers along the east quarter of the rectangular house.
Walking down from parking at the top of the cliff, primary access is located on the uphill side of the third storey, which contains a secondary bedroom and bathroom.
A small central staircase leads up to the angular fourth storey with a bedroom, bathroom, and TV room.
Stepping down from the entry, the family level contains the kitchen, dining and living rooms. A terrace wraps around the southwestern side, consuming over one-third of the floor plate.
Outside the house's enclosure, a split-level deck holds an outdoor seating area, fireplace, hot tub and garden.
The lowest storey contains the primary suite with a private terrace and service spaces.
Because of the extreme angle, many of the interior spaces are double-height on one side of the room and single-height on the other side.
The materials absorb heat and the building maximises the climate for thermal controls. The house "does not need to be heated, since its transparency allows it to receive sun throughout the day and generate spaces protected from the cold," the team said.
Meanwhile, "opening the window generates natural air conditioning, because the wind in the area is quite cold."
WMR Arquitectos notes the location of the house as both the biggest challenge and biggest success of the project. Pouring the foundation and getting the materials to the site provided difficulty and the team used a winch to hoist the structure into place, but the "radical location decision results in an architectural design inspired and adapted to its context."
Nearby in Matanzas, Raimundo Gutiérrez of ERRE Arquitectos also created a pine and glass truss house, but the single-storey residence bends horizontally around vegetation rather than conforming to the slope of a site.
The photography is by Cristóbal Palma.
Project credits:
Architects: WMR Arquitectos
Collaborators: Matteo Gargallo - Emilia Lavanchy
Engineer: Alberto Ramirez
Contractor: Florent Dromard