'Primitive luxury': Chilean house built from stacked concrete blocks for pioneering architecture project on sale for £1.15m

Pritzker Prize-winning Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena is one of 16 architects designing concrete homes along a dramatic coastline in South America in a bid to promote innovation.
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Jess Denham26 October 2018

The pull to "get back to nature" can be strong, especially among those of us stressed out by the manic pace of sleepless, overcrowded cities.

But what if we don’t want to sacrifice our 21st-century modcons to live in a tent?

That's where clever contemporary design comes in, marrying primitivism with luxury — a trend predicted to explode in 2019 — and there's a stunning example currently on sale in Chile for £1.15million.

Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena, this majestic holiday home overlooking the Pacific Ocean offers a return to a more tranquil way of life while retaining a beautifully modern aesthetic.

It has been built as part of the Ochoalcubo (Eight-Cubed) project, "an architectural lab and live architectural museum" in Ochoquebradas, near the coastal city of Los Vilos, a three-hour drive north of Santiago.

The site comprises 800 hectares of natural, unspoilt land brimming with dramatic cliffs, rock formations, dunes and bays.

Sixteen leading Chilean and Japanese architects have been specially invited to create ground-breaking projects upon it, with the aim of promoting innovative design in the country.

Smiljan Radic, designer of the 2014 Sepentine Pavilion, and Sou Fujimoto , whose Japanese architecture exhibition helped launch London's Japan House earlier this year, are among the other pioneering architects taking part in Ochoalcubo.

They were all asked to focus primarily on concrete, so as to foster harmony between their individual designs and the surrounding rugged landscape.

The Aravena house is made from three blocks of concrete built roughly on top of each other to echo the natural environment. Its simple lines are sure to appeal to fans of stripped-back minimalism.

Unspoilt: look out over the Pacific Ocean from the master bedroom suite (Sotheby's)

It offers 2,690 sq ft of living space split over four levels, including four bedrooms and four bathrooms, and is set in 1.3 acres of grounds.

The wood-panelled living room, dining room, kitchen, en-suite master bedroom and an enclosed glass courtyard with a firepit are found on the main level.

Smart sliding walls allow you to switch between privacy and an open-plan layout.

Three bedrooms, all en-suite, are found on the other three levels, reached by a fabulous open concrete spiral staircase.

Huge floor-to-ceiling windows draw the breathtaking outside in, incorporating nature into the design. The large open terrace suspended above the ravine is a particular highlight.

Despite the potentially unforgiving coldness of the concrete exterior, comfort has been a consideration throughout.

Statement: the concrete spiral staircase is a highlight of the Chile house (Sotheby's)

The high-end Miele kitchen is fitted out with everything from a coffee maker to an integrated plate warmer and the bathrooms have a cosy, spa-like feel.

Yolanda Tejeda de Walker, International Business Manager for Chile Sotheby's International Realty, who is marketing the property described it as "truly unique".

"The concrete blocks stack and lean against each other, making it seem more like a sculpture than a home," she said.

"On the inside, it is filled with light, with floor-to-ceiling windows casting a glow on the raw concrete interior, which constantly changes hue depending on the sunlight.

"The spaces and finishes are subtly luxurious, designed with a minimalist flow intended to create a simple and essential retreat lifestyle."

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