GZ House is located on the outskirts of Santiago.

On top of a steep hill, no road to reach it, and all the utilities’ network down below, the plot posed quite a challenge. Amazing unobstructed views of the Chicureo valley, however, made it worth the effort.

The view of the landscape is the house’s raison d'etre. A chain-like sequence of rooms was proposed, where all common areas sit at the center of the chain with the master bedroom at one end and the children’s and guest rooms at the other.

Living, kitchen and dining rooms are all integrated into a single space, enclosed by glass at two sides. Both sides slide back to expand the fun to the adjacent terraces when desired.

Atop a set of boulders protruding from the hill, the long and narrow chain-link scheme creates a gravity-defying image. Despite the effect, the house’s concrete slab rests safely over a podium defined by retaining walls. Slim, slanted columns were added wherever extra support was needed. Their shape and inclination exaggerate the sensation of instability. A rain-screen envelope made from cement boards clads the steel structure that arises from the slab and shapes the house. The building’s monolithic appearance is only subverted by the glass façade that faces the panorama. This limited material palette makes the house a constant monochromatic counterpoint to the extreme changes the site undergoes through the seasons –from desert-like shades of browns and yellows in the summer to the most exuberant greens during the winter.