San José de la Sierra Building / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias

Las Condes, Chile
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  4897
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2018
  • Photographs
    Photographer:Nico Saieh, Courtesy of DRAA
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  ALMAD, Anwo, DOM, Hunter Douglas, ORIANA PONZINI
  • Author Architectes: German del Rio, Nicolás del Rio, Roberto Farías
  • Collaborators: Magdalena Besomi, Víctor Arancibia, Juan Gigoux, Felipe Camus
  • Owner: Inmobiliaria MAGAL
  • Construction: Constructora MAGAL. Roberto Gorodischer
  • Structural Engineering: Canepa Ingenieros
  • Landscape: Francisca Piwonka
  • Interior Design: Enrique Concha
  • Lightning: Maria Jose Sanchez
  • Apartment Area: 388-834 m2.
  • City: Las Condes
  • Country: Chile
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San José de la Sierra Building / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade
© Nico Saieh

Text description provided by the architects. San Jose de la Sierra is a development of eight high-end apartments within a three story exposed concrete building.

San José de la Sierra Building / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade
© Nico Saieh

In 2016 were challenged to provide a housing alternative that had to convey both the opening and freedom of a house with the security of a flat. The site was in a changing neighborhood of large properties in the foothills of the Andes, a common situation of an expanding city that needs to provide more density within the city boundaries.  

San José de la Sierra Building / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias - Exterior Photography, Facade
© Nico Saieh

We delivered a monolithic concrete volume aiming for the idea of a single large property, a manor under which all dwellers would find themselves comfortable with their share without being singled out. 

San José de la Sierra Building / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade
© Nico Saieh

The office reinforced the design concept with a semi-regular array of openings in three orientations that hide the diverse room destinations each one has, i.e.bedroom, kitchen or bathroom portray the same window size and finishing with different privacy solutions. 

San José de la Sierra Building / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade
© Nico Saieh

This array often found in classical examples of architecture is altered with three adjacent expressive staircases that organise and bring hierarchy to the different access halls. The volume brakes and towers as it climbs and winds through the rather inclined Andean terrain.

San José de la Sierra Building / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias - Exterior Photography, Facade
© Nico Saieh

Another idea represented by the building is to express the mass. We receded the installation of all window frames showing a robust wall edge highlighting the use of board marked concrete. The outcome is one the hides the glazing shine from the first approach to the edifice, even more when the semi-translucent shutters are closed. The shade cast over the openings is a distinctive image from all facades but particularly from the sun oriented north façade that contains the balconies and terraces. The concrete is meant to weather and age with grace as the vegetation will be taking over in time, with large built-in planters designed in the building’s top perimeter.

San José de la Sierra Building / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias - Windows
Cortesía de DRAA
San José de la Sierra Building / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias - Image 22 of 32
Cortesía de DRAA

The San Jose Building is likely to become a unique housing block within the local market for its specific sector, where the strength of a stark conceptual design meets architecture to bring a unit that conveys a number of enhancing oriented solutions.

San José de la Sierra Building / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias - Exterior Photography, Facade, Windows
© Nico Saieh

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Project location

Address:Calle San José de La Sierra 780, Las Condes, Región Metropolitana, Chile

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "San José de la Sierra Building / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias" [Edificio San José de la Sierra / German del Rio, Nicolas del Rio, Roberto Farias] 07 Jun 2018. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/895787/san-jose-de-la-sierra-building-draa> ISSN 0719-8884

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