felipe assadi's concrete casa cipolla overlooks the rocky shoreline of a chilean lake

overlooking the naturalistic eastern shore of chile’s lago llanquihue, felipe assadi arquitectos presents a residential exercise in material and spatial continuity. the casa cipolla is defined by its low horizontality, its heavy concrete material and simultaneous transparency. sited on a slope, the low structure respects the rocky lakeshore views. while visitors approach from above, the project’s transparency at eye level prevents it from serving as an obstruction.

all images by fernando alda

the domestic program of felipe assadi arquitectos‘ cipolla house is composed of three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, an integrated kitchen and dining area, and a small outdoor cellar. these spaces are organized along an exposed reinforced concrete slab with a thickness of 20 cm. the slab frames such architectural elements as the entrance and staircase toward the house, the bridge toward the roof, and the stair which leads out toward the sea. all of these elements are inseparable and integrated.

the studio integrates two structural details: a low, one-meter-high wall along bridge leading toward the roof is detached on the outside, counteracting the torsion of the beam with its weight. this wall is also attached to the ground through a metal tension rod, fixed to a concrete anchor underground. the transverse wall that encloses the house in the main bedroom extends towards the sea only to counteract the torsion exerted by the entire structure towards its opposite side.

project info:

architect: felipe assadi arquitectos
project name: cipolla house
lead designer: felipe assadi
design team: felipe assadi, trinidad schonthaler, macarena ávila, sebastian delpino
project year: 2018
location: ensenada norte, iv, chile
total area: 140.0 m2
primary materials: board-formed concrete walls and polished concrete floor