PC4 House

Tunquen, Chile

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PC4 HOUSE

PC4 House

Tunquen, Chile

Firm

Juan Cruz Viton

Type

Residential › Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2016

The challenge of designing a home on the beach brings many concepts into play. In this case, we work on new ways of housing a non permanent dwelling, testing the relationship between the outside and the inside, between public and private spaces, between the house and the site, between the site and the territory (sea, fields...) whit the aim of generating a versatile housing in its use, allowing temporary (winter and summer), as well as spaciousness and privacy at the same time. May be a house for a couple (their owners) as for a meeting of 15 people, preserving spaces of intimacy and calmness in balance, without stridencies.
The design was based on 3 premises_
A-Generate a "shelter" with comfortable spaces to inhabit (spaces of rest, contemplation, recreation and socialization)
B-Respect the environment and protect nature through good use of natural resources and connection and interaction with green areas and natural spaces. Also conserving a "scale" according to the surrounding vegetation, where the house does not compete with the green, but adapts. And finnaly to respects the level quotas, in order not to have to make large movements of land: the house adapts to the land.
C-Look for the sea views and take advantage of the greater sinshine, thus generating good lighting, ventilation and temperature conditions.
In order to incorporate these premises the house is raised in a single level, in a linear scheme.
With the main environments located towards the sea and at the same time looking for the best orientation of the land for each use.
This scheme is broken in the center, generating access to the house, separating the public area from the private and at the same time, looking for the best views of the Pacific Ocean.
The general approach, seeks to achieve, from the design itself, the least use of resources. Few materials and availability in the area, used in different forms and finishes.
The main form seen from the sea refers to the play of the waves
And, on the one hand, it seeks, on the one hand, to capture the sun (it opens towatds the north -in south hemisphere) and on the other, to generate environments with a greater spatiality, with variable and non-static heights.
Thus the house consist of:
A) 2 main elements (the 2 waves) of simple and rational plan, with sloping ceilings where the most important environments of the house (living-room and bedrooms) are located, related to the sea.
B) 2 service bodies (corridor, bathrooms, and kitchen) of flat roofs and
C) 1 central connector (access) that connects all of the above.

Considerations of respect and commitment to the environment and nature

Lighting and electrical energy: The house generates its own energy through solar panels and storage system with high standard batteries. All the lighting is with LEDs. The (minimum) household appliances are low consuption. Also the water tank was located in the highest part of the site in order to generate the necessary pressure of water to the interior without needing to use pressure pumps that would generate greater electrical consuption.
Water management: If the house is located in an area with less and less water (less rains, ravines and drying areas, etc.) efficient and rational use is essential. The water is extracted from a well of 34 mts (via independent solar pump) Several options were used to achieve the highest water savings, without affecting the levels of comfort: backpacks of double discharge, faucets with water aerators, etc. System for the collection and use of rainwater for irrigation through an adequate use of landscaping. The possibility of incorporating gray water into this months and only for new species planted (200 tree native to Chile) until they are rooted in the ground. After that it is suppressed, since the selected species were those that exist in the environment and do not need additional water to wich the own nature provides.
Proposed thermal conditioning: The main solution was to work with an effcient use of insulation in walls and ceiling, a correct sunning as well as the use of double glass in all windows of the house and in those of opening the use of efficient carpentry of High-tech PVC. For the heating of the house is used a mixed system of gas stove and of combustion closed to firewood. Cross-ventilation was also another necessity that occurs in most environments.
Darkening systems to the nrth and west also help thermal omfort. The surface of absorbent soil and vegetations is prioritized, in relation to the floors that absorb and radiate heat.
Vegetation: All the existing trees in the field were respected and those that were planted new were native species, to favor natural growth, with the lowest maintenance and natural irrigation and the largest amount of absorbent soil was maintained.