Chilean architectural studio Tololo Ugarte has created a luxurious vaulted tiny house that blurs the lines between its tasteful interior and the surrounding landscape. Dubbed Catalejo, which means Spyglass, the project leverages the unique attributes of its site to inform the design. The location of the home is characterized by four established trees aged over 300 years old and a landscape that alternates between semi-arid conditions in the summer and lush grasslands in the winter and spring.
Inviting the outdoors in, the tiny home boasts an extra-high arched ceiling, which allows for the inclusion of a number of large geometrically shaped windows. In order to have as little impact as possible on the existing site, the architects employed a design that slightly elevates the home above the ground, allowing for natural vegetation to grow underneath it. This approach not only reduces soil disruption but also enables the natural regeneration of the landscape.
Furthermore, the design creates an effect where the house appears to float amidst the seasonal greenery. Materials were carefully selected to ensure a seamless blend with the environment, focusing on durability and minimal visual disruption. Locally sourced timber and glass play a significant role in the design, creating transparent boundaries that invite natural light into the interior spaces while inviting occupants to gaze outward.
A vaulted, double-height ceiling forms the core architectural feature of the home, enhancin.
