Casa Hualle

A dark, modern house built in the Chilean countryside.

Standing tall in a gorgeous natural landscape, Casa Hualle complements the surrounding environment with its minimal, clean design. The AmpueroYutronic studio, which has offices in both London, UK and Santiago, Chile, designed this black siding house with a contemporary aesthetic that also integrates cues to vernacular architecture. Located in Pucon, Chile, the structure immerses the inhabitants in a beautiful natural landscape. The area features mountains and volcanoes, a freshwater lake, and temperate rainforests. A grassy area surrounds the dark structure. Charcoal colored timber slats give Casa Hualle a striking modern barn house appearance, which the natural setting enhances further.

Two stories provide plenty of living spaces in this family home. The roof boasts a flat design in the south-west side, while the north-east elevation has a traditional pitched volume. Inside, internal walls end right before reaching the single and double height ceilings to accentuate the dynamic design of the roof and to also allow the separate planes to flow into one another. The interior walls contrast the dark exterior of the black siding house; they boast white washed plywood panels which brighten the living spaces. Distinct and seemingly random, the fenestration curates the views. One window frames the volcano, while another provides views towards the lake. Like paintings, the openings frame the landscape and bring the beauty of nature inside the modern dwelling. Photographs© Felipe Fontecilla, Javier Ampuero.