The house is situated on the top of a small peninsula that projects out into the Cabra Corral dam near Salta in Argentina.  The site had been used to store construction equipment and was flat and barren but with a spectacular 270 degree view.  The view straight across the dam is to a gorge in the hills that became the focal point of the design.

 

The brief was for a home that reflected the client’s Zimbabwean roots, and also their love of Indonesia.

 

Using local material of large flat facebricks with traditionally wide mortar joints, clay roof tiles, and local timber the prominent roof is held up by trees of timber struts over the enclosing walls with a band of glass separating the two. Outdoor living is brought into the house by having the floor of the living area stepping down into the swimming pool when the full height sliding doors are opened.

 

Access to the bedrooms is via an open gallery around an internal courtyard, another reference to the Spanish influenced local context.