Casa Mirador By Matias Zegers

This 2012 project by Matias Zegers is a wine tasting pavilion surrounded by vineyards in Casablanca, Valparaíso, Chile.

Although it boasts a modern day style, the weathered concrete that was chosen as the dominant material is rugged sufficient to blend effortlessly with the landscape.

Casa Mirador by Matias Zegers:

“At 1st glance, the pavilion displays an ambiguous type of vernacular construction and a deliberate modern day building.

Settled in Casablanca Valley sitting on leading of a hill, surrounded by vineyards and crowned by an old twisted mesquite tree, the constructing adopts the solemnity of an ancient settlement.

Two massive  raw volumes are set apart by an equivalent vacant volume.  The roof, a monolithic pyramidal shape, is carefully placed on best of the layered concrete walls, connecting both massive bodies.

The huge terrace where the old mesquite tree stands is exposed to the vast and limitless views to the valley. An ellipse of stones and flowers delimit the near landscape where 3 concrete platforms emerges geometrically.

The rooms are organized in a sequence of  contrasting spaces, every single one providing diverse experiences and qualities of light.

The narrow entry patio, shaded by the tall walls, frames dramatic views to the sky. Moved by a soft wind, a light veil of water shimmers over a black concrete block .

The living space is subtly illuminated and intimate. A wide panoramic window frames the view to the vineyards.

Two wooden doors lead to the light flooded wine tasting room. A 6m cypress slab lies in front of floor to ceiling glazing which fuses the edge among in and out. The glass exposes the old contorted mesquite tree, like a relic in a museum display.

Perhaps the most expressive element is the sharp edged concrete slab which tends to make the roof appears like a weightless plate.

The final area to the east is the quincho, a walled patio with an olive tree in the center. A notch in the corner exposes the landscape and the distant city beyond the massive walls

To the south, the kitchen, a space the identical size of the dining area has been pushed into the hill with a singular view to the vines beneath.

The concrete was made on internet site in little quantities, only enough to pour the footprint of each volume incrementally.  When completed, the walls reveal the effect of the diverse weather situations by means of out the building method.  

The outcome is a layered, with light variations in color and texture, derived from a hand crafted method.”

floor plan

elevations

Photographs by: Cristobal Palma