A minimalist beach house complex overlooking a coastal village in Valparaiso, Chile uses a combination of pine and cross-laminated timber for a streamlined modern effect. Designed by Mobil Arquitectos, “12 Cachagua” is a series of townhouses built on a slope and raised up on a plinth, which not only gives it great views and privacy for the upper levels, but helps it have a smaller impact at street level.
The trio of connected structures feature flat roofs with spacious rooftop terraces set back from the facade to help them feel a little more secluded despite the central urban location of the complex. The architects say they designed the volumes to “overlap and break” along with the slope of the hillside they’re set into, almost like waves on the ocean.
The CLT envelopes of the buildings direct views toward the sky, the mountains and the water instead of each other, with overhangs offering protection from the sun and enhanced privacy. Each of the three buildings contains four rectangular townhouses and a central landscaped courtyard, with a shared swimming pool.
The architects say they used pale finger joint pine inside and out for a “warm and relaxed atmosphere,” which captures the color palette of the sandy beaches outside. It’s a beautiful solution, and a great example of how pine can play a central role in modern and minimalist architecture.
