Pachacamac House / Longhi Architects

Architects: Longhi Architects
Location: Pachacamac,
Principal in Charge: Luis Longhi
Collaborators: Hector Suasnabar, Christian Bottger, Carla Tamariz, Veronica Schreibeis
Construction: / Hector Suasnabar
Project year: 2006-2008
Site Area: 5,000 sqm
Constructed Area: 480 sqm
Photographs: CHOlon Photography, Elsa Ramirez

A hill in Pachacamac, located 40 km south of Lima near Peru’s coast, is the site for the retirement home of a philosopher. The response to the site’s conditions was to bury the house, trying to create a balanced dialogue between architecture and landscape, where inside / outside becomes a constant interpretation of materiality with strong sense of protection and appreciation of the dark and the light. A glass box sticks out of the hill symbolizing architectural intervention on untouched nature.

Cite: "Pachacamac House / Longhi Architects" 21 Apr 2009. ArchDaily. Accessed 19 May 2013. <http://www.archdaily.com/20118>

24 comments

  7. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    Great project. It is really the second renaissance for modern architecture in South America. Also, it is wonderful to compare and contrast this with the monumental kitsch that has been thrown up in China. The time seems comparable to Italy and France in the fifties.

    What could be better than this. Perfect use of indigenous materials, simplicity, and clarity. I would really like to go and see it in person.

    Terry Glenn Phipps

    Reply
  10. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    i visited this site last year on a school trip. the entry into the building was kind of epic. it was still unfinished, but you could feel the effect of the light and site.

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  12. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    I hope that projects like this are creating a turning point. The attention for the critical importance of the environment in all aspects in architecture is now more than ever necessary.
    Instead of “riding the wave” of extreme capitalism and corporate politics, this worldwide economical crisis should be the opportunity to get away from spectacular architecture – that is shifting from extraordinary to obscene. History is repeating itself: the aspired architectural icons are becoming the Beaux-Arts façades of the 19th century.(=image/fashion is all that matters) Like the modernists that answerred with their rational and social architecture, the architects of today should make the environment their head agenda.

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  16. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    estimado luis en noviembre se me escapo tu casa

    en pachacamac….pero no sera asi la proxima vez

    que pase por lima….pero necesito tus senas….bravo y

    hasta la proxima……rodo

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  18. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    Finally someone who can write a good blog ! . This is the kind of information that is useful to those want to increase their SERP’s.

    I loved your post and will be telling others about it. Subscribing to your RSS feed now. Thanks

    Reply
  20. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    A great example of beautiful architecture and consistency in the whole project. It is very clever how the landscape is incorporated into the architecture.

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