Just Getting to This Remote Patagonian Retreat Is an Adventure

Situated on a 70-degree slope and accessible only by boat, Casa Lago Todos los Santos proved a challenge to build. The home, designed as a remote retreat for a Chilean couple and their three children, takes its name from the sprawling, 43,000-acre lake in Southern Chile’s Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. The diverse landscape also encompasses mountains, volcanoes, waterfalls, and lush native forests. Lead architect Angie Chadwick of Apio Arquitectos explains of the client, "They were looking for a place with no phone connections or internet access, so they can really get connected with nature and family life. We started the project with the ambition of making a place where they can spend a simple day together, cooking, playing, reading, fishing."

The lake’s southern shore, where the structure resides, is extremely rocky with limited soil on which to build. To manage the steeply sloped lot with minimal impact on the natural environment, the builders decided to use a pillar system, bolting steel tubing to the foundation to support a firm platform for the house. The materials, all locally sourced, had to be delivered by boat and installed without heavy machinery. Likewise, the family ferries in all their necessary supplies when they visit, such as food and gas. "It’s a real adventure!" says Chadwick.