Celebrated for its cinematic mountain views and crystal-clear glacier waters, Chile’s Ranco Lake has long charmed Francisca Eguiguren and Cristóbal Concha. The couple spent years dreaming of a holiday home by the lake, so when an acquaintance tipped them off on an opportunity to purchase land near the eastern shore, they jumped at the chance.

Construction Cost $39,827	Electrical Engineer $7,303	Plumbing $1,863
Heating System $5,797	Window Wall System $18,521	Wood $30,195
Hardware $17,396	Furniture $4,624	Gravel $268
Tinsmith $1,990	Kitchen Items $4,437	Fireplace $1,171
Hot Tub $1,701	Gas $1,863	Landscape $3,962
Landscape Construction $1,863	Sanitary Items $5,524	Onduline Roof $3,726
Wood Finish $1,508	Doors $4,773
Grand Total: $158,312

With the land secured, the couple entrusted the design of the home to Maximiliano Noguera, one of Francisca’s best friends since preschool and the Principal of Santiago- and Frutillar-based architecture practice Max-A.

“Every time our firm is faced with projects in remote locations, we thoroughly investigate the area for available construction material, local consultants, and local construction teams,” explains Noguera. “These aspects are crucial to keep the construction costs low, and have the added benefit of reinforcing local business and employment and reducing transportation pollution.”

The clients’ tight budget also prompted the architects to develop a modular system based on Chile’s standardized sizing for locally produced timber. The modular approach not only helped to minimize construction waste, but also shortened the construction timeline to just eight months.

Twenty modules, each 8' by 18', make up the 3,138-square-foot vacation home, which can comfortably sleep up to 10 people. Stretching east to west, the home comprises two rectangular volumes—a longer main wing and a smaller visitor wing—joined at an angle where a covered outdoor patio connects to an open-plan kitchen, dining area, and living room.

Five ensuite bedrooms are spread out across the home, with the main bedroom located on the west end for the best views of the lake. All rooms also open up to a timber deck that wraps around the house and takes advantage of natural ventilation. The roof provides thermal mass, and cellulose wall insulation helps maintain constant indoor temperatures all year round.

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“The design is a response to analyzing and sitting with the site, its orientation, predominant winds, and heavy rainfall, among other factors,” explain the architects. The firm positioned the home with a long northern facade that overlooks views of the lake and mountains, while keeping the southern facade mostly opaque for privacy from the main road. “The different treatment of both the northern and southern facade in response to these elements is our favorite part.”

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Max-A Arquitectura + Arquitectura del Paisaje / @max_a_arquitectos

Structural Engineer: Max-A

Lighting Design: Espacio Negro

Photographer: Nico Saieh / @nicosaieh