Chilean Studio Designs Mass Timber Forest Hideaway

The Chilean studio Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos has designed a unique forest hideaway in the Andean foothills of Chile. The House by Fuy River is a vertically organised structure that blends with the terrain and minimises intervention in the surrounding landscape.

The house is nestled in a temperate rainforest on an 8,000-square-metre site near the Huilo-Huilo biological reserve in southern Chile. The property borders the Fuy River, which gave the project its name. The architects aimed to create a nature retreat for a couple based in Santiago who sought a place where they could be immersed in nature and host family and friends.

The 150-square-metre home is designed to engage with the different layers of the forest canopy. It rises three levels and is topped with a hipped roof. The team opted for a vertical approach to reduce disruption to the landscape and preserve the surrounding native vegetation.

The exterior walls feature a mix of pre-painted metal cladding and glazed curtain walls. The structure is made entirely of mass timber, specifically glue-laminated elements made using a CNC machine and prefabricated off-site as a kit of large structural components.

The individual components, such as beams, columns, and diagonal braces, were assembled at the construction site. However, the full-height structural frames, which form the east and west facades, were transported to the site fully assembled. This approach reduced construction time in a remote location while ensuring a high level of precision during assembly.

Within the house, there are large windows, earthy finishes, and a division between public and private spaces. The ground floor holds the entrance, guest rooms, and utility spaces, while the first floor contains the social heart of the house - the kitchen, dining, and living area, all occupying an open-plan room.

The upper floor holds the main bedroom, which is joined by a bathroom and sauna that overlook the forest. The three levels are connected by a central spiral staircase. The house is organised vertically to engage with the different layers of the forest canopy, revealing changing conditions of light, vegetation, and atmosphere as occupants move through the building.

Interior finishes included pine board flooring, along with porcelain tiles that are laid over a concrete radiant floor. Outside of the house, elevated walkways connect to a parking area, storage building, and woodshed. The house also features an elevated outdoor terrace with a hot tub, large table, and outdoor shower.

Other projects by Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos include a ski cabin with a "skin of wooden planks" and a square-shaped dwelling that explores the "expressive potential" of prefab timber.

## Project Details

| Project | Description | | --- | --- | | House by Fuy River | A vertically organised structure that engages with different layers of the forest canopy in the Andean foothills of Chile. | | Ski Cabin | A dwelling with a "skin of wooden planks". | | Square-Shaped Dwelling | A dwelling that explores the "expressive potential" of prefab timber. |

## Credits

The project credits include:

- Architect: Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos - Lead architects: Daniel Iragüen, Claudio Viñuela - Collaborating architect: Víctor Cárcamo - Structural engineer: Pablo Ñanco - Main contractor: Leonardo Jaramillo - CNC fabrication: Timber Ingeniería