The original commission involves the renovation of a 1940s house located in the Cajón del Arrayán, in the pre-Andean region of Santiago. The site features a significant 15-meter drop in elevation, which is absorbed by the original stone walls and buttresses of the existing house. Covering nearly 3,000 m², the property is higher at the access street and lower at the opposite end where it meets the Arrayán stream.
After conducting an economic and architectural feasibility analysis, the decision was made to demolish nearly the entire existing structure, as it completely ignored the site’s potential by turning its back on the most attractive views. Retaining only part of the original stone base as a historical and foundational testament, the new design sits on top of it, offering a more appropriate solution that aligns with both the client’s needs and the site’s advantages.
The program is distributed across two floors, containing the public areas as well as two secondary bedrooms. The upper floor houses the master bedroom, an adjacent study space, a terrace, and an enclosed courtyard next to the bathroom.
The house is entirely closed off to the street, while opening up in two volumes that orient their views toward the north and the treetops of the eucalyptus forest that precedes the stream. The upper floor unifies both volumes and defines the monolithic end walls, which are almost completely closed off from the neighboring properties.
Project: Casa Schkolnick
Architects: Albert Tidy, Ian Tidy, Hania Stambuck
Collaborator: Matías Pincheira
Location: Cajón del Arrayán, Lo Barnechea, Santiago, Chile
Area: 280 m²
Structural Engineering: Claudio Hinojosa
Construction: Osvaldo Cardemil, Constructora Nautilus
Materiality: Stuccoed Concrete, Glass, Wood
Year of Completion: 2007-2008
Photography: Marcelo Cáceres