When Daniel Iragüen, Claudio Viñuela, and Alexa Napp of Santiago-based Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos came on board to design a rustic weekend home in Chile’s Malalcahuello region, they weren’t starting from scratch. A previous builder had left behind a steel-and-wood platform from a failed first construction attempt. Perhaps more importantly, decades worth of memories also helped frame up the home, as both Viñuela and the client spent much time in the area in their youth.

The pine wood–clad cabin sits atop an elevated platform (left behind by a previous builder in a failed first construction attempt) and overlooks the Cautín River. “This river travels through central Chile, but this place is special because it is where the river originates,” explains architect Daniel Iragüen." layout="" credit="Photo by Marcos Zegers" photoUserId="6545361713771855872"/>

“On holidays when he was a child, our client often came to this place,” explains Iragüen. “He always loved this site in particular, which is shaped like a peninsula with the Cautín River running around it. His family would go hiking and picnic here.”

Fifty years later, when the exact plot of land from his youth came up for sale, the client took the leap. “He was passing through this place and happened to see it for sale. He didn’t hesitate,” says Iragüen.

Now based in Valparaiso, a seven-hour drive away, the client desired a vacation home where family and friends could gather to enjoy the natural environment. The site is situated in a remote section of the Andes Mountains famed for fly fishing, mountain biking, hiking in the summers, and skiing in the winters.

Although the architects were constrained by the existing foundation, within the compact footprint they designed a protective yet translucent cabin that encourages environmental engagement. “The plan is arranged around a central core containing the kitchen and main living areas,” explains Iragüen. “Here, you can see in all directions. To the north is the sun, and to the south is the river.”

Distributed across two levels, the retreat has two bedrooms on either end of the main floor, with an open-plan playroom above that contains four sets of built-in bunk beds. “We imagined the upper floor as recreating in miniature the plan below,” says Viñuela. “Except instead of separating the living room with bedrooms at either end, it is one open room with bunks tucked into the sides.”

The main-level living areas extend out to elevated decks that pinwheel off the home in three directions. “We had this platform for the house, but then we thought: ‘How can we reach out into the landscape and be in the landscape, but without being in the snow and mud?’” says Viñuela. “We decided to build some elevated piers which extend into the woods and get closer to the river.” One landing serves as the home’s entry, while the others lead to a hot tub and swimming pool.

A key consideration was preserving the site’s mature araucaría trees—many of which are more than a thousand years old. “Araucaría forests only exist in this part of the world,” explains Iragüen. “They are an ecological and cultural treasure, so we introduced the piers between the trees.” The effect is one of floating amongst the ancient trees, which hold special spiritual significance in Chile; the species is also protected by law as the country’s national tree.

Although the home was designed as a vacation retreat, the owner has been increasingly spending time here and plans to move to the cabin permanently in the coming years. “This place is very special,” says Iragüen. “When you are there, with the ancient trees and the river below, you almost feel like you are in a different era.”

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos / @iraguenvinuela

General Contractor: Javier Viñuela

Interior Design: Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos