Alma Hotel Residence Winning Proposal / Kouvo & Partanen

Jan 2012

By Alison Furuto — Filed under: Hotels and Restaurants , Atacama, Chile, Kouvo & Partanen

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view towards main building

Kouvo & Partanen was recently announced as the winners of design competition for the Alma Hotel Residence in the Atacama Observatory and Research Center in the desert of northern Chile. The aim of the competition was to find the best solution on a fixed design fee and construction price for the building that offers the astronomers, engineers, and other staff working at the observatory accommodation, restaurant and office services and recreational spaces. More images and architects’ description after the break.

main hall in main building

Alma is one of the largest ground-based astronomy projects of the next decade. Alma is a global partnership between Europe, North America (USA and Canada) and East Asia (Taiwan and Japan), in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. At the altitude of 5000 meters on the Chajnantor plateau Alma telescope consisting 66 radio antennas will be at one of the highest altitudes in the world. The Research Center, where the new Hotel Residence will be located, is at 2900 above sea level. The building complex comprises of dormitories providing 120 accommodation rooms, and of the main building that locates common rooms such as restaurants, offices and recreational areas. The total floor area is about 5900m.

site plan 01

The complex has been integrated into the surrounding landscape by means of scale and local materials and colors. The main features of the scenery are the vibrant colors and sweeping horizontal views of the Atacama Desert, the snow capped Andean mountains, the active volcanoes and the Salar of Atacama salt lake and Cordillera de Domeyko mountains in the west. The Atacama Desert is one of the most arid places in the World.

site plan 02

The building is designed as a curving terraced structure following the natural slope of the landscape and forming sheltered inner courtyards. The materials are local stones, copper, volcanic rock and weatherproof steel. The solar aspects have been addressed by designing various shading structures made of local materials and canvas canopies to shelter from high ultraviolet radiation. The accommodation rooms are located in separate dormitories, that have interior and exterior connections to the main building along the terraces. The design also allows 24h workshifts and disabilities. All the spaces have direct outdoor accesses via courtyards or balconies.

west facade

The heart of the main building is the restaurant, lounge and meeting rooms that have open vistas westwards to the salt lake and desert scenery. The reception and the offices, and recreational spaces such as the spa and swimming pools are located in the lower level. The roof of the main building is an inclined landscaped terrace; the highest point being an observation plateau with an amateur telescope. The roof terrace has open views to all directions – The Andes, the volcanoes Liancabur and Lascar and The Atacama Desert.

south facade

The complex is design according to strict ecological principles. The structural design is demanding due to big and rapid thermal changes, sand storms and earthquakes. Energy efficiency is highly important also because of the remote location – therefore heat and cooling circulation, reusable water consumption systems and solar energy are key issues in the technical design. Thermal insulation and landscaped roofing support the low energy consumption aims.

north facade

The designing of the complex has started in the beginning of 2012 and the construction is expected to be completed in 2014.

: view towards main building

: main hall in main building

: site plan 01

: site plan 02

: west facade

: south facade

: north facade

: section of main building

: section of dormitories

Cite:
Furuto , Alison . "Alma Hotel Residence Winning Proposal / Kouvo & Partanen" 27 Jan 2012. ArchDaily. Accessed 23 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/202650>

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NORMAN says:

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

# January 27, 2012 at 08:36

PTP says:

mmmmm…. it´s a pity, it´s a much better proposal the one designed by Coz-Polidura-Volante. An amazing oportunity for doing great architecture in an amazing location… wrong project the one chosen, it looks like a building from the 80`s..!!!… wrong, wrong, wrong…. a great opportunity sent directly to te bin.

# January 27, 2012 at 09:41

catapial says:

I believe there is no birds at 5000 meters above sea level, and definetly this look more like a beachfront spa than an extreme weatherproof and isolated accomodation.

# January 27, 2012 at 10:51

11:16 AM Jan 27th

ArchDaily

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11:20 AM Jan 27th

him + her

Architecture Alma Hotel Residence Winning Proposal / Kouvo & Partanen: Kouvo & Partanen was recent… http://t.co/0A2D4fwN #architecture

11:35 AM Jan 27th

Arquitectura

Alma Hotel Residence Winning Proposal / Kouvo & Partanen http://t.co/NdTTh7zi #architecture

11:50 AM Jan 27th

Architecture+Molding