“Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context - a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan. “
Eliel Saarinen
Talcahuano - Chile
Architecture: Taller Arquitectura Claudio Navarrete + Juan-Pablo + Irene Escobar Studio + Carolina Oteo + Romina Rojo
Built area - 3,554 m2 - 25,000m2
Engineering: Canales, Perretta & Assoc. Ltd.
Client: DOP Biobío - Chilean Government
Building Company: COM S.A.
After the commercial zone's upgrade, ‘La Poza’ became the new centre of tourism in Talcahuano. The project that was conceived prior to the earthquake of 2009, and upon its completion, became an emblem of reconstruction within Talcahuano. It was unveiled during the Soto 40 Sailing World Cup in 2013. The project encompasses 3,554m2 of built area situated upon 25,000m2 of coastline that offers four restaurants (Bentoteca Esmeralda, Bentoteca Marina, Bentoteca Miramar, and Bentoteca Mar y Sol), Other key features include a dry dock, a wharf for touristic boat rides, Seafood Markets, Artisanal Fisherman’s building and a Marina.
It was awarded the ‘Premio al Aporte Urbano 2017’ (Urban Contribution Prize 2017) by the CChC (Chilean Building Association)
Cochrane - Chile
This Kindergarten was designed to maximize passive solar heating via air circulation through galleries, courtyards, and a north-facing winter-garden. The plan is structured through a radial sequence of activity rooms built around a central atrium/patio. The winter-garden captures the scarce sunlight available in Cochrane (being situated in the far southern reaches of Patagonia) This aspect gives children a warm well-lit space for small-group play during the harsh winters. The exchange of air within the central patio is achieved through operable ventilation grills, located at the top and bottom of the glazed partition that separates these two spaces. The volumetric windows provide spaces in which to sit down and read, or to display the works of the class. A series of skylights boost the available natural light to the rooms. All the detailing was devised to reduce thermal bridges, and thus ensure thermal comfort. The materials used were local Mañío timber, reinforced concrete portal frames, internal steel beams, and double glazed windows.
Location: Cochrane, Chile
Area: 1,782 m2
Architecture: Taller Arquitectura Claudio Navarrete + Juan-Pablo + Irene Escobar Studio + Carolina Oteo + Romina Rojo
Engineering: Canales, Perretta & Assoc. Ltd.
Client: DA Gore Aysén