Company name: Rubén Gómez Gañán
Contact e-mail: rubengomezganan@gmail.com
Project Location: La Calera, Colombia
Completion Year: 2020
Building area (m²): 80
Photo credits: Mateo Pérez Correa

This is a view of the house that is located on top of a hill with grass and shrubs to contrast the exteriors of the house.

This view of the back of the house features large glass walls that span the whole side of the house facing the sweeping view.

This is a view of the interior showcasing the beige leather sectional sofa of the living room that has a wooden shiplap cathedral ceiling and a large floor-to-ceiling glass wall on the far side.

The living room is warmed by a detached fireplace by the large glass wall across from the sectional beige sofa.

This angle shows the proximity of the living room sofa to the dining area.

This is a close look at the stainless steel countertop and backsplash of the kitchen complemented by the wooden shiplap walls.

This is a full view of the dining area with its rectangular dining table surrounded by matching chairs that is a few steps from the fireplace and sofa.

This area of the house has dark flooring tiles brightened by the glass walls flanking it.

This hallway is then topped with a wooden shiplap ceiling.

This bright hallway connects the two large open sections of the house.

This is a close look at the sitting area at the foot of the bed with a couple of gray arm chairs facing a large glass wall.

This is a full view of the bedroom with a bed that has dark cushioned frame making it stand out against the wooden shiplap walls, flooring and cathedral ceiling.

This is the bathroom with a dark wall that blends well with the cabinetry of the vanity across from the freestanding bathtub by the window.

This is a far off view of the house from the vantage of the concrete walkway that leads to the house.

This is a close look at the main entrance of the house flanked by landscaping and has dark exterior walls that make the warm glow stand out.

The house has two distinct structures connected by a hallway with glass walls.

The dark tone of the exterior walls make the house stand out against the surrounding grass lands and occasional tall trees.

This is a nighttime view of the house that showcases the warm glow of the house.

The house stands out against the surrounding dark landscape with its warm glow.

The warm glow of the interior lights of the house ezcapes through the large glass walls.

Situated over 3,000 meters above sea level in the Chingaza Moor, this small-scale lodge is designed to be a space for both escaping from city dynamics and offering its inhabitants the opportunity to immerse themselves in the surrounded ecosystem. The project is located one hour away from Bogotá, on the hillside of a moor mountainous body where an extended group of bird species and plants make this place unique.

In order to foster interactions between nature and the project’s inhabitants, the composition of the house is based on two modules connected by a glass tunnel which not only collects the sun’s rays to make the interior space warmer, but also to trigger a direct relationship between a hummingbirds garden on the east and an open view to the San Rafael reservoir on the west. A space that enjoys a climate that can be around zero degrees at night, and over 20 degrees during the day.

Continuing with the intention of producing a space of reflection and honest materiality, pinewood slats wrap the area from floor, walls, and ceiling, making the interior cozy and minimalist. A large-scale window in each module complements the wooden-based interior, which not only captures daily sunsets but also welcomes the thermal energy produced by the sun to bring warmth and comfort to those very often cold nights at this altitude.

In contrast to the wooden interior, the exterior aims to be an austere body to fit in the surrounding context. Through a black metal façade, the house erects itself to blend in with the gray tones of the moor sky. At night, the building disappears because of the dark color of the façade. Only the large windows, wood, and artificial lights stand visible to give the sensation of two floating lights overnight.

Finally, the value of the project not only relies on designing a lodge to understand the natural habitat in which is built but also to foster diverse encounters between its human and non-human inhabitants of the mountain; a garden of hummingbirds that dialogues in the center of the space, a window that offers a sunset in the moorland landscape, an east horizontal window that frames the mountains of Chingaza, are some of the key architectural features that this house seeks to present.