In the foothills of the foothills, the Chilean architect Sebastián Irarrázaval created this modular home using containers. The construction takes full advantage of the land, to give the home natural ventilation and beautiful views.
The project was designed for an art collector and his family. The 350m2 house is located in a residential area in Lo Barnechea, on the outskirts of Santiago de Chile. To reduce construction time and costs, Irarrazával decided to reuse second-hand shipping containers.
The main objective of the design of the house was to integrate the landscape of the city with that of the Andes Mountains. In addition, the architect prioritized the circulation of outside air through all the spaces of the home. Thus, the implementation of air conditioners would be avoided.
The house consists of four parallel rows that follow the line of the slope of the mountain. On the first level are the public areas, distributed over a wide floor that is connected to the outside by means of sliding doors. On the second floor, the four container strips house the bedrooms and the entrance to the house. This plant has openings towards the mountain range to capture light. It also offers views of the city of Santiago.
In order for the structure to integrate with the territory, the different parts of the house were placed on the slope as if they rested on it. To achieve optimal ventilation, intermediate spaces were preserved for air circulation and users. These, in turn, are responsible for letting light enter from both sides.
The construction consisted of three stages. First, the walls were placed to create a horizontal plane that supports the common areas of the house. Then, the containers in which the rooms work were assembled and placed. Finally, a coating was made with a unitary material that would give integration to the house.