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Santiago Bertotti designs monolithic 'casa BP' in Argentina.
In the vast, sun-drenched pampas of Argentina, architect Santiago Bertotti has composed a striking architectural soliloquy with his 'casa BP,' a structure that feels less built and more hewn from the very earth it occupies. This monolithic volume of red-pigmented concrete does not simply sit upon the landscape; it engages in a profound dialogue with it, its raw, textured surface echoing the rich, terracotta hues of the Argentine soil, a deliberate choice that roots the building in its locale with an almost primal authenticity.The house’s primary gesture—a broad, generous opening toward the endless rural expanse—is a masterclass in cinematic framing, transforming the flat, elongated horizons into a living mural that changes with the arc of the sun, from the fiery glow of dawn to the deep indigo of twilight. This is architecture as a viewing mechanism, reminiscent of the careful composition in a Terrence Malick film, where the environment is not just a backdrop but a central character in the narrative.Bertotti’s work here draws a clear lineage from the brutalist traditions of Luis Barragán and Paulo Mendes da Rocha, who also understood the power of mass and materiality, yet he infuses it with a contemporary sensibility that prioritizes the experiential journey of the inhabitant. The monolithic form is not forbidding; rather, its solidity provides a sanctuary, a place of refuge from which to observe the sublime spectacle of nature, much like a protagonist finding clarity in isolation.One can imagine the interior as a series of curated scenes, where light and shadow play across the concrete surfaces, creating a dynamic, ever-shifting ambiance that no artificial set design could ever replicate. The choice of raw concrete, often considered cold and industrial, is here rendered warm and tactile, its pigmentation ensuring the building weathers gracefully, becoming more integrated with its setting over time.This is not a weekend retreat designed for escape, but a permanent residence that demands a engagement with the elements, the silence, and the sheer scale of the Argentine plains. The project raises compelling questions about the future of rural architecture in an era of urbanization—can a building be both a monument and a home? Bertotti seems to answer in the affirmative, proposing a model where architectural boldness and human intimacy are not mutually exclusive but intrinsically linked. The 'casa BP' stands as a testament to the idea that the most powerful statements are often the most silent, a monolithic sentinel forever watching over the timeless drama of the pampas.
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#architecture
#Santiago Bertotti
#Casa BP
#Argentina
#concrete
#rural views
#designboom
