iHouse estudio designed this small house in a forest in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The aim was a house where daily life happens among the trees. The design takes ideas from mid-century single-family houses, especially the open connection between inside and outside.
A platform on a steep site
The site drops steeply between two levels. The house is set at the upper level, where two horizontal planes extend the ground into a platform for living. Two walls hold the structure in place, give the bedrooms privacy and frame views of the forest. From outside, the house almost disappears into the dense vegetation.
Glass walls and night views
Wide glass walls make the whole open-plan interior visible from outside. At night, the warm interior lighting stands out against the dark trees.
Two yellow blocks
The services, kitchen, bathrooms and closets are grouped into two yellow blocks. This leaves the rest of the house open. Parallel openings on both sides blur the line between inside and outside and keep the layout flexible.
Bedroom and bathroom
The bedrooms sit behind the protective walls for privacy but keep views of the forest. One bedroom has a black accent wall, wood floors and bright yellow closets.
The bathroom has a wall of glossy deep teal tiles laid vertically. A skylight lights the room from above and sharpens the contrast between the dark tiles and the white fixtures and shower tiles.
Drawings
Project credits
- Architecture: iHouse estudio
- Location: Punta del Este, Uruguay
- Photography: Aldo Lanzi
- Source: Contemporist