Around ranco lake in chile, characterized by a stunning landscape and rather inclined slope covered in tall thin cypress trees, chilean practice panorama arquitectos debuted their oeuvre of work with a hillside sauna. anchored over a black granite rock, the natural timber structure contains a roofed terrace, sauna, and changing room clad on the interior with alamo wood and on the exterior with oak due to its durability. the plan derives from a rational progression broken up into three sections that hinge off of one another to emphasize the changing program.
Each of the components overlooks the hillside and onto the lake, establishing a calming atmosphere that breaks down the scale of each space for a more intimate experience. with never before seen images of the project, it is possible to see the attention to detail in each area of the project. the exterior greying planks are arranged vertically, acknowledging the verticality of the surrounding forest, while the interior is arranged so that all the seams take the eye out towards the large windows and into the landscape.
The linear walkway that connects each form becomes apparent where carefully integrated concrete platforms in the negative wedges between the walls continue the corridor and incorporate seamlessly into small foundation pads. individual pylons constitute the larger portion of the substructure, ideal for a sloped terrain and to minimize irreversibly damage to the land.