Origami House Folds Concrete Into Triangles Amid Coastal Pines
Origami House is a house in Cariló, Argentina, by Diacono Arquitectos. Set among native pine trees on the Atlantic coast, it rests on a 1,500-square-meter site without altering the trees or the ground level. The project translates an origami idea into reinforced concrete, pairing a strong structural presence with careful control of light, wind, and views.
About Origami House
Origami House sits in a small beach town on South America’s Atlantic coast, where native pine trees shape the setting around the 350-square-meter house. On the 1,500-square-meter site, the building takes its place without cutting into the trees or changing the ground level.
The project grows from an origami idea: a flat surface turned into a folded form. Here, reinforced concrete stretches from ceiling to floor to make triangular walls and roofs that read as if they have been creased in place. The result depends on specific handcrafted formwork and on structural calculations that make the suspended triangles possible.
These concrete folds work as a bioclimatic skin. They act as solar shields in summer, tempering strong sun while still admitting natural light, and they help protect the house from wind and rain during winter storms. The shifting angles also give the front of the house privacy, while the rear opens toward the garden and the surrounding flora.
Openings in the concrete are studied with precision. Each cut draws in filtered light at an angle, sending changing patterns of shadow through the rooms as the day moves on. From the angular windows, the forest appears in sharp, dramatic views rather than broad expanses.
The house reads as a calm retreat, but its character comes from the structure itself. Folded concrete, careful apertures, and the tight relationship to the pine-covered site give the house a quiet confidence that does not need to announce itself.
Photography courtesy of Diacono Arquitectos
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