Welcome to our gallery showcasing the incredible House on Lake Villarrica by Planmaestro Arquitectos.

It isn’t everyday that you find inspired design merge so completely with responsible environmental practice.

Located in Fundo Los Raulíes, within Chile’s enchanting Araucanía Region, this 8,000 square meter (86,000 square feet) site on the northern shore of Lake Vallarrica, within eyeshot of the Vallarrica volcano. It comes complete with spectacular vistas, an ancient native forest, and a multi-wing home that takes advantage of the locale’s unique features.

With a moderate slope towards the lake and large collection of old-growth trees, the designer took into account the site’s topography and tree placement when settling on the house’s footprint, resulting in a home that is as unique as the spot it inhabits.

Engineered by Ruiz Saavedra, and constructed by Harald Keutmann, the 387 sqm (4,000 sq ft.) abode’s design incorporated several requirements into the plans, including bedrooms for the client’s family and for guests, and common areas for the whole group and services.

Giving higher priority to conservation of the surrounding forest – particularly the largest, oldest trees – over views of the lake and volcano, the house is grouped in sections or “wings,” which allowed each wing to be rotated independently to avoid tree clearing.

Electing to build the house in wings also allows every interior space to be in visual contact with the forest’s environment.

To best make use of the wonderful views, it was decided the home would have a total of four wings in the shape of an ‘X’, with one of the wings filling the role of a common area while increasing views of the surrounding lake and forest.

All this foliage creates a problem, however. How would light get through the forest’s thick canopy to surround the house with enough natural light?

Taking this into account, lighting designer Paulina Sir includes plenty of windows and non-uniform roof lines between wings, which allow for banks of windows at the roof line to let in even more sunlight. Trachsel Emilce provides the landscaping.

Take a look through this house and see if this convergence of design and function doesn’t capture and ignite your imagination.

Photography: Mathias Jacob

Nestled inside a thriving forest, this home was designed to fit in nicely among the native flora. The developer took great pains to position the house so very few trees would need to be felled.

Designed to form an ‘X’, the home allows for several common areas in which to entertain guests and consolidate entertaining, eating and cleaning areas . This area, directly off the living room area, features a large outdoor deck.

Because of the home’s unique design, each room has a bank of windows facing various directions. Windows at various levels and heights allow for natural light to rule throughout the entire house.

Between both bedroom wings a courtyard is formed. Both corridors look at a ‘tree’ garden, which contains a large Arrayan tree, which is native to the area.

The home’s various wings conjoin in the middle, forming natural areas between each wing that are perfect for gardening, landscaping, or viewing the natural vegetation.

Planmaestro_LakeVillarrica_07 In a couple of the courtyards, small batches of trees are permitted to grow, ensuring increasing amounts of shade over the abode as the trees mature. Notice the exterior cladding is dark, helping to integrate the construction with the dark forest environment.

In a couple of the courtyards, small batches of trees are permitted to grow, ensuring increasing amounts of shade over the abode as the trees mature. Notice the exterior cladding is dark, helping to integrate the construction with the dark forest environment.

Planmaestro_LakeVillarrica_09 The various wings conjoin at an entrance and distribution hall. From this central point, you have easy access to all four wings, including the services wing which accommodates laundry, pantry and service bedrooms.

The various wings conjoin at an entrance and distribution hall. From this central point, you have easy access to all four wings, including the services wing which accommodates laundry, pantry and service bedrooms.

With the intention of having bright interior rooms, most of the south façade is made up of windows that receive ample amounts of indirect light and a rustic, nestled-in-nature view to the lake.

The common areas wing, which contains the kitchen, living room, recreation room, and the dinning room, is one large, transparent space facing the lake.

Planmaestro_LakeVillarrica_12 The view from the kitchen table is extraordinary. To create all of the south/lake-facing views, the largest trees were left standing. Only a small group of shrub were trimmed to allow a view past the bank of trees.

The view from the kitchen table is extraordinary. To create all of the south/lake-facing views, the largest trees were left standing. Only a small group of shrub were trimmed to allow a view past the bank of trees.

Planmaestro_LakeVillarrica_13 The roof lines are placed at different levels, forming an upper window that allows direct light from the south to enter several places not facing that direction. This extra bank of windows - splitting the room above - combines with the indirect natural light flooding in from the room's north-facing door and windows to brighten even the most-secluded portion of the dwelling.

The roof lines are placed at different levels, forming an upper window that allows direct light from the south to enter several places not facing that direction. This extra bank of windows – splitting the room above – combines with the indirect natural light flooding in from the room’s north-facing door and windows to brighten even the most-secluded portion of the dwelling.

Planmaestro_LakeVillarrica_14 All of the interior walls are covered with light colored wood planking, which help improve to the house's inner brightness level.

All of the interior walls are covered with light colored wood planking, which help improve to the house’s inner brightness level.

Whether night or day, this home’s design proves that it is possible to work with a site’s existing topography and natural elements instead of using the bulldozer to customize the location of the house.