gonzalo bardach's stone house frames views of argentina's forest through vast voids

forest house becomes absorbed by nature in buenos aires

Gonzalo Bardach’s Forest House is located on the coast of Buenos Aires, Argentina, inserted in the middle of a coniferous forest. The topography’s inherent unevenness hosts a shelter, a place without time, where the void and the view are framed, the project’s morphology harmonizing the built and the natural. Fluid and organic forms are integrated through the heart of the house: a void that connects the forest surrounding the house, integrating front and back, using the dune on which it sits to build an experiential space for contemplation and silence.

The program is distributed on the ground floor, organized by three semi-buried pavilions whose roofs are tied to the ground, absorbed by the forest. Enhancing this relationship, the materials are used in their pure state, such as liquid stone, wood, iron, and glass, allowing a sense of warmth, and requiring minimal maintenance throughout their life cycle as they organically integrate into the environment.

all images courtesy of Gonzalo Bardach

gonzalo bardach frames views of the forest through voids

Sunlight becomes a dynamic element that constantly transforms the perception of space throughout Forest House, inviting residents to experience a deeper connection with nature and with themselves. The architecture thus becomes a living canvas where light filters through the tree leaves, creating shadow patterns that delicately dance on the surfaces. Argentinian architect Gonzalo Bardach materially integrates the work into the environment, generating a sense of rootedness and refuge in the middle of the forest. The three-dimensional, species-rich landscape design has been built on a process of botanical research of the native species of the Buenos Aires coastal eco-region. A more organic and less controlled approach to garden design and maintenance is proposed, where landscaping does not follow static patterns, but is realized to evolve naturally over time.

The pavilions of Forest House are tied by a garden roof that covers a central space between them, which house the service and rest spaces. Meanwhile the central space houses the social program: the kitchen, the dining room, and the living room which are merged into a gallery, as well as to all the natural elevations of the landscape. The bio-environmental design, with careful consideration of solar orientation and wind patterns, reflects the studio’s commitment to sustainability, prioritizing natural light in all spaces and cross ventilation to maintain thermal comfort.

Gonzalo Bardach completes Forest House