by explore the “tiny house” of Cazú Zegers Arquitectura
Tiny House by Cazú Zegers Arquitectura is part of a wider territorial proposal to build a small neighborhood — Pueblo la Dehesa — in the community of Lo Barnechea in Santiago, Chile. The small town will feature three types of prefabs wooden houses, small to medium scale: Type A (24.5 sqm) includes one bedroom and one bathroom, Type B (49 sqm) accommodates two bedrooms and a single bathroom and Type C (63 sqm) includes two bedrooms and two bathrooms . All three typologies will accommodate a kitchen, dining room and living room.
‘This is our first tiny house, a modular prototype capable of adapting to many (and beautiful) natural environments. Prefabricated in wood, this project was designed to give a deep experience of warmth and has architectural solutions that give priority to spaciousness: invisible doors, large windows, an origami-inspired staircase and terraces that highlight the interior space. In short, a home ready to settle where your dreams take you,‘ writes the practice on its Instagram page.
all images © Marcos Zegers
creating an organic cluster of units
The neighborhood project is essentially conceived as an organic complex comprising several sets of 12 houses. Together, these units will total 600 units to accommodate various services such as cafes, bakeries and gourmet shops, among others.
‘It was intended to form a cluster system, like a pedestrianized city immersed in an open park with the Andes as a backdrop. For this reason, we considered it fundamental to understand these units as pixels in a larger system. To respond to this demand, it became necessary to understand the whole as a whole, causing organic urbanization. He tried to move away from traditional urbanization plans that did not allow the development of life and meeting places. the architects continue.
More specifically, Cazú Zegers was inspired by botanical shyness, a natural phenomenon in which fully grown tree crowns avoid “bumping” into each other through sensory detection. The space left between the trees creates small, intimate alleyways that any wanderer can enjoy. This phenomenon prompted the studio to envision the houses as clusters centered around pedestrian corridors, a nod to the density of foliage against a linear clearing.
The Tiny House prototype is made mostly of clear pine wood, with iron accents spread throughout. Complementing these materials is a steel ladder made like a piece of paper in the spirit of Japanese origami, giving it a sculptural quality. The doors, meanwhile, were fitted frameless to expand the sense of spaciousness. Together, these interventions reveal a clean and modular volume, joined by a lively and bright interior design and a prominent terrace space.
pixel-like modular housing unit
cladding externally with transparent pine wood
