Campana House - Alejandro Dumay + Francisco Vergara

The house is located in a rural central valley of Chile, in an area of 10,000 sqm. with a striking visual presence of the Coast mountain and the Cerro La Campana.

The assignment is to solve a housing that allows a strong link between indoor and outdoor spaces, including compounds that integrate the entire family and friends as much as possible, and a special concern for energy efficiency project.

The proposal to divide the public program audience (living, dining and kitchen) of the bedrooms, with a covered patio incorporating articulator access, circulation outside and barbecue.

East of the volume is located four bedrooms with capacity for 10 people in total, linked by a corridor outside, leaving the senior campuses (living, living room and master bedroom) with orientation towards the mountain range. In these areas extending the height of the space progressively from 2.4 mts. up to 3.5 meters., allowing a full view of the mountains and the surrounding environment.

Is defined to work with materials that provide a cleaner process in its preparation, such as wood, concrete and clay. In turn, they are considered passive thermal solutions, such as Trombe walls to the north, cross circulation of air, and shaded and double glazing and solar panels to heat water and photovoltaic panels future.

Architects: Alejandro Dumay Claro, Francisco Vergara Arthur

Location: Ocoa, V Región, Chile
Contractor: Guillermo Delgado
Site Area: 10,000 sqm
Project Area: 185 sqm / 75 sqm terrace = 222 sqm
Design Year: 2008
Construction Year: 2009
Photographs: Mauricio Fuentes

VIA: TECNOHAUS

Chicken Point Cabin - Olson Kundig Architects

The idea for the cabin was to create a lakeside shelter in the woods—a little box with a big window that opens to the surrounding landscape. The cabin’s big window-wall (30 feet by 20 feet) opens the entire living space to the forest and lake.

At 2,600 square-feet, the cabin is big enough to handle the family functions it was designed for, yet intimate enough to preserve its charm. The cabin sleeps ten.

The design concept is composed of essentially three parts: a concrete-block box, a plywood insert and a 4-foot diameter steel fireplace (the bong). Materials are low maintenance—concrete block, steel, concrete floors and plywood—in keeping with the notion of a cabin, and left unfinished to age naturally and acquire a patina that fits in with the idyllic setting. Open, interior spaces are intended to be a seamless extension to the outdoors. The concrete floor inside extends outside and become a terrace with a built-in hot tub.








A 19-foot-tall steel entry door is exaggerated in height to easily accommodate long skis. Once inside, the concrete block volume is punctuated by relatively few distractions: a steel fireplace, a bridge that spans the main space and the master sleeping alcove that floats above the kitchen area. The six-ton window-wall pivots on an off-center axis, its speed regulated by a fly-ball governor (the gizmo).

Architect: Olson Kundig Architects

Project Team: Tom Kundig, FAIA, design principal; Steven Rainville, project architect; Debbie Kennedy, interior designer

Consultants: Turner Exhibits (gizmo fabricator and engineer); Monte Clark Engineering (structural engineering); Moser, Inc. (design/build mechanical system)

Craftspeople: All New Glass (big window); Star Steel (steel structure, bong); Steve Clark (table fabricator, cabinets, beds)
Contractor: MC Construction






VIA: TECNOHAUS

Brinken Terrace - 70°N arkitektur

In Norway, 70°N arkitektur has designed the Brinken Terrace situated on top of the Tromsø island facing west with its beautiful view. The project is composed of two apartment buildings with 48 large apartments, and the different approach in the flats’ design in the blocks gives variation in the window placements and facade expression.

Brinken Terrace has a prominent location on the top of the Tromsø Island with views towards all directions. The area is sun exposed at all hours and have direct access to the green area that stretches along the Tromsø island. In the completed outdoor areas many of the existing trees and other vegetation are being preserved, in addition, there has been planted more vegetation as birch trees, rose and berry bushes etc.

The area between and around the buildings is composed by varied playing and outdoor recreation areas for the residents. It has for instance a small field for playing ball, various playgrounds and a sunbath/barbecue area. There is also a football field with artificial turf in the neighborhood which also is part of the project.

The project was completed in 2009. The total area of the project is approx. 8100 m2 which includes the underground parking. The two blocks are in principle similar, with increasing height from two floors to the west towards the existing residential housing in Brinkveien street, and up to five floors to the east and north, towards the students apartment blocks at Prestvannet.

In the planning phase, the future residents cooperated with the architect on the design of the apartments, this led to customized and unique apartments. Overall, the project has 48 flats of varying size from 36 to 196 m2. The different approach in the flats’ design in the blocks gives variation in the window placements and facade expression. Both blocks have open and bright entrances halls, two staircases, two elevators, and underground parking with storage rooms. The blocks are linked together by the common parking and outdoor areas.

All apartments have secluded private terraces or balconies. From the second storey and up the balconies are drawn into the building to provide as good microclimate as possible, which is important in the arctic climate. The apartments in the front have large west-facing roof terraces.

The height of the ceiling in all apartments is 2.7 m, and the large windows frames the spectacular views of the mountains of Kvaløya island to the west, Malangen mountains to the south and Tromsdalstind mountain to the east. Most apartments have views in two directions, while the largest apartments have a 360° panoramic view. The top apartment in the southern block fills the entire floor, and has also, as the other apartments, a wonderful view from the bedroom and bathroom.

The construction system is steel columns in the facade and concrete decks, with internal load-bearing concrete walls. The facades are 200mm wide boards of impregnated pine and in the balcony niches gray laminate plates are used.

Architect: 70°N arkitektur

Project: Brinken Terrace Location: Tromsø Island, Norway Type: Terraced housing GFA: 8,000 m2 Builder: Econord AS Photographer: Ivan Brodey

VIA: TECNOHAUS

Deer Grotto House - Visiondivision

For their latest commission, Visiodivision addressed the extension of an 18th century cottage with their typical offbeat approach (check out their other projects previously featured on AD).

Abiding by the clients’ request for the house to blend in with the environment, particularly from the one side where the client’s conservative mother “has her cottage and watchful eyes”, the extension becomes a unobtrusive living space that is part of the earth, making it appear “almost invisible”.

Utilizing the sloping condition of the site, the architects were able to excavate the hill and construct a concrete vault in its void. The vault is then punctuated in strategic locations to allow light to illuminate the living spaces. The rest of the vault is covered with soil, leaving no obvious indications of the architects’ presence.

Deer statues placed on top of the building cover the holes and become the light shafts; they also act as a reference point for the content of the house.

The new extension is connected to the original home with an internal stair that divides the extension into a social zone and a quieter one. The social zone, which consists of a small kitchen and a living room, is clothed in a glass façade (the only visible façade of the entire extension) and faces the river. The quieter zone is comprised of the sleeping areas and bathroom where the over lights display the change of light quality throughout the day.

VIA: TECNOHAUS