Humo House / Iván Bravo Arquitectos

Architects: Iván Bravo Arquitectos
Area: 185 m²
Year: 2023
Photography: BARO, Marcos Zegers
Lead Architect: Ivan Bravo
Associate Architect: Martín Rojas Ortiz
Collaborating Architect: Juan Oyarzún
Structure: Pedro Bartolom
Program / Use / Building Function: Single family Home
City: Futrono
Country: Chile

Humo House, a residential building designed by Iván Bravo Arquitectos in southern Chile, exemplifies a harmonious blend of domestic dichotomies. The project, completed in 2023, began 10 years ago and is the first shared residence for a couple who have always lived separately. Set in a natural clearing near a lake, the house features a cube design with two opposing facades. Public areas occupy one half of the house, while private spaces are distributed over three levels in the other half. The use of raw timber slats for cladding enhances its timeless aesthetic.

This house was commissioned ten years ago, with the decision to start the project made only two years ago. Despite the time lapse, the client’s requirements and the site remained the same. The clients, a couple who have never lived together, each live in their own flats, just a few meters away on the same street in the capital. This holiday home marks the first time they will share a living space under one roof.

Located in the south of Chile, the house is set in a natural clearing on a long piece of land that ends at a lake. It is flanked by a row of trees on one side and a small stream on the other. The height of the trees and the dense low bushes create a disorienting effect, making it difficult to perceive any distant context. Only the direction of the river flow indicates the lake’s location, hidden behind a dense layer of vegetation.

Humo House is an exercise in domestic dichotomies. Starting with an 11-meter cube split in half on two faces, the project revolves around the articulation of opposing pairs. The two larger facades open to distant views of the lake and the site, while the smaller ones are mostly blind, sheltering the entrance at the lower corner.

All public areas are in one half of the house in an open space of full height. Intimate spaces are distributed over three levels in the other half, just large enough for the owners and their visiting friends. The project emphasizes shared common areas, with a long table made from a fallen larch trunk dominating the ground floor, serving as both a dining table and kitchen unit. On one side, the floor is lowered by one step to provide comfortable cooking height while maintaining the same surface level as the dining area.

The two master bedrooms are on the first floor, one for each owner. The facing doors and shared corridor allow intimacy without sacrificing independence, striking a balance where they cohabit separately. On the second floor, a study room opens to the triple height below. The geometry of the house and the large roof create a constricted space on one side, quickly opening to a five-meter height on the other.

Both interior and exterior are clad in raw timber slats, stained individually. The rough material and varying shades of gray give the house a timeless appearance, blending with the foggy mornings typical of the area. A winding path connects two small ponds, passing through the house entrance and terrace, and continuing across the stream to a fire pit. Following the path through the trees leads to a small bay amid dense vegetation, where the lake first becomes visible.