Family house in Chilean Huentelauquén by Claudia Baladrón

The Huentelauquén region in northern Chile is one of the oldest inhabited places in America. The steppe area at the mouth of the Choapa River at the foot of the Atacama Desert showed signs of settlement as early as 10,000-4,000 BC. Some traditions have survived to this day, such as collectively managed land. The spacious concrete house for a six-member family was designed by Claudio Baladrón together with Felipe De Ferrari and Diego Grassim from the Plan Común studio. The L-shaped floor plan of the house is arranged around a semi-open courtyard with a view of the Pacific Ocean. The layout is clearly divided into a social wing and a private section with bedrooms. The house lacks any communication spaces. From the room, there is a direct exit to the outdoor courtyard, which is also intended as an open social space for family gatherings. A temporary textile shelter can be quickly built on the rectangular area to expand the house's capacity. The back of the house, facing the mountains and the desert, is enclosed with solid walls made of exposed concrete. Meanwhile, both walls oriented toward the courtyard and the ocean are completely glazed. The slightly protruding roof is designed to protect the interior from sunlight and strong winds.