alejandro aravena's casa ochoquebradas in chile photographed by cristóbal palma

photographer cristóbal palma has documented alejandro aravena’s contribution to ‘ochoquebradas’, a development on the chilean coast overlooking the pacific ocean. the project involves the construction of 16 weekend houses, eight designed by chilean architects and the other half by japanese architects — including this dwelling by ryue nishizawa. responding to the brief, which called for a four-bedroom property that could be built for half a million US dollars, aravena designed a ‘primitive’ concrete residence influenced by the site’s rugged location.

image © cristóbal palma (also main image)

‘we saw the site and the fact of being a weekend house as an opportunity to explore a certain primitiveness,’ explains aravena, who leads chile-based firm elemental. ‘the geography was so brutal, that only a strong and manly set of elements was appropriate. the pacific ocean here is not pacific at all; the water is white do to the violence while meeting the earth.’ the team used the absence of a client to design a weekend retreat that embraced a ‘more essential’ way of living, away from the conventions of everyday domestic life.

image © cristóbal palma

‘casa ochoquebradas’ comprises three volumes: one horizontal, one vertical, and one set at an angle between the two others. cantilevering slightly over the cliff edge, the horizontal volume contains self-sufficient living accommodation with floor to ceiling glazing providing sweeping views out to sea. meanwhile, the vertical volume compactly accommodates additional bedrooms and is topped with a roof terrace. the final volume, which is hollow, serves as a type of chimney, allowing smoke to exit the building from a glazed fire-pit in the horizontal volume below.

image © cristóbal palma

image © cristóbal palma

image © cristóbal palma

image © cristóbal palma

image © cristóbal palma

image © cristóbal palma

image © cristóbal palma

image © cristóbal palma

project info:

name: casa ochoquebradas
location: los vilos, chile
project: ochoquebradas
architect: alejandro aravena / elemental
status: complete 2018
photography: cristóbal palma