This "Almost Cube" House Offers Mesmerizing Views of the Chilean Coast

Located in the coastal Chilean town of Punta de Lobos, a house with a pavilion-like shell made of slatted pinewood sits peacefully by the water.

Text by

Michele Koh Morollo

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Casa Casi Cubo—otherwise known as the "almost cube" house—takes its name on account of its asymmetrical shape, which has been described as an "abstract deformation of a parallelepiped volume."

Designed by Santiago–based LAND Arquitectos in collaboration with architect Javier Lorenzo, this angular residence houses floor-to-ceiling glazed walls to maximize sea views and infuse serenity.

By distorting the standard cuboid form, the architects developed an irregularly shaped, single-story structure with an angled, undulating roof.

A view of the entire "almost cube" house.

The interior houses a roof with low pitched sections that peak above the dining area, as well as the bedrooms, to create higher ceilings in these two parts of the house.

Thanks to the glazed walls, the indoor and outdoor spaces are seamlessly connected.

Exposed pine trusses support the roof structure.

The exposed wood trusses serve as an interesting decorative feature that adds a warm, earthy contrast to the sleek and modern white kitchen. For additional brightness in this area, numerous skylights with red-painted wood panels were incorporated into the ceiling.

The light wood floors and glossy white kitchen give the interior a bright and minimalist feel.

To maximize the seaside views, the entire exterior wall of the house was glazed. The living area and bedrooms were arranged along the sea-facing length of the house, while the storage spaces and bathrooms were positioned on the land-facing side for more privacy.

An asymmetrical roof gives the house abstract, sculptural character.

The architects wrapped the interior of the main house in a "second skin" of pine in order to create pavilion-like outdoor spaces on three sides of the house.

A bedroom looks out to stunning coastal views.

They used slatted pine screens for this second skin, which helps shield the house against strong coastal winds, while still allowing gentle breezes to seep in and circulate throughout the porches.