For almost two decades, Elisabeth Inostroza and Francisco Salinas lived in Iquique, a port city in Chile’s northern reaches. As time went by and their grown children moved to Santiago, where many other relatives also live, they found themselves making the 1,000-mile trip south more times than they could count.

“We began to feel a little isolated from our family,” says Francisco, “but we also wanted to enjoy the beach and have a bit of countryside around us.” So, the couple bought 1.2 acres of land near the ocean in an area called Algarrobo, some 90 minutes away from Santiago by car. Set amidst a thicket of bushes and trees on a 600-foot-high sloped plateau with views of the Pacific Ocean to the west and a ravine to the south, the lot had everything the couple wanted—except a house.

One of their three sons suggested calling his friends Daniel Iragüen and Claudio Viñuela of Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos, a studio known for its minimalist lines and use of natural materials. “We had no idea what kind of house we wanted,” says Francisco. “Just something spacious with some nice views.”

Lacking precise instructions, but knowing their clients would be living there year-round and hosting frequent get-togethers with friends and family, the architects came up with a rectilinear design focused around a central kitchen, dining, and living area that spans the length of the structure from east to west, like a broad stripe. The bedrooms and bathrooms are set on either side of this nave and face north and south, adding up to a perfect 43-foot square.

Because timelines were important, they designed the entire structure to be made of prefabricated timber, cut to their specifications by a specialized vendor. To build the home without interfering with the sloping terrain, they raised it on low stilts placed in diagonal patterns, forming multiple rows of A-frames. The result is quite distinctive and contemporary, which may seem surprising for a couple who’d spent most of their lives in traditional homes.

“They didn’t have a clear aesthetic preference, and they were keen on being influenced,” says Iragüen. Viñuela adds that they only received one request when they presented their first concept: wider views. “Initially, we proposed fewer glass panes to control sunlight and energy loss,” he says. “But in the end, we made the house almost completely transparent.”

Except for the north-facing facade, which has wood-walled sections protecting a bedroom and a mudroom from the bright Southern Hemisphere rays, all walls are made of glass. Within the square perimeter are two small interior patios, one with a parilla, or woodburning barbecue, and another with a wooden hot tub.

Down a few cement steps is the pool deck, a simple rectangle placed at an angle off the southwestern corner of the home. All around it are pine and soapbark trees (a native species), agaves, and boldos (a native shrub).

“The house is practically within nature,” says Elisabeth. “To wake up with the smell of the trees, or to feel the mist when it rains, it’s just wonderful.”

Related Reading:

A Chilean Cabin Rises Amidst Ancient Trees in the Andes Mountains

A Surfer Couple Build an All-Black Off-Grid Cabin on a Seaside Bluff in Chile

They Built Their $60K Home to Preserve the Surrounding Forest

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos / @iraguenvinuela

Builder/General Contractor: Mario Cuevas

Structural Engineer: Roberto Stocker

Civil Engineer: Timber Ingeniería

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You Can See Right Through Their Glassy Cabin on the Chilean Coast