Calfuco Refuge by Tomás de Iruarrizaga
This small cabin designed by Tomás de Iruarrizaga is located near Valdivia, Chile. It sits in the middle of the dense and humid Valdivian rainforest. The form is conceived as a compact and sharply defined volume — a prism with acute angles that contrasts strongly with its surroundings. Its interiors, made of laurel wood, are warm and tactile; everything feels like part of a built-in furnishing, much like the interiors of boats, where ribs and keels are exposed.
Nestled Among Trees on the Valdivian Coast
This small refuge of about 50 m² (538 sq ft) is located near Valdivia, Chile, on the Pacific coast. It sits in the middle of the dense and humid Valdivian rainforest. The client requested a small cabin to spend holidays, and the main challenge was to reinterpret the deeply rooted concept of the traditional cabin.
Compact Volume and Utilisation of Ground Surface
We proposed a very narrow tower, raised above the ground on concrete supports, that seeks northern light and uses the minimum possible ground surface. On plan, the small rectangle measures four meters wide by seven meters long and fits perfectly between a group of trees, rising ten meters above ground level to reach their treetops.
Two Very Compact Floors
The construction is divided into two very compact floors: the first level features a small entryway that doubles as a corridor connecting the bedrooms, the only bathroom, and the staircase. The second level consists of an open-plan space with a living area and a kitchen, which together feel like a noble and generous space opening to the landscape. The interior dimensions range from the minimum heights required to move comfortably to those that respond to the scale of the surrounding landscape.
Warm Totemic Interior
The form is conceived as a compact and sharply defined volume — a prism with acute angles that contrasts strongly with its surroundings. Its interiors, made of laurel wood, are warm and tactile; everything feels like part of a built-in furnishing, much like the interiors of boats, where ribs and keels are exposed. The roof is gabled, but with a ridge beam placed diagonally across the volume, resembling a fishbone structure.
Traditional Techniques
The entire structure was cut and assembled on site, using only traditional carpentry tools and techniques, without any advanced technology.
Photography by Federico Cairoli
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