A breeze blows, carrying the scent of basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley and coriander. Close to the ground, rows of tomatoes, peppers, beetroot, yams, cassavas and potatoes take root. Small trees of avocado, mandarin, lemon and granadilla also peek through. Here, in Valle Dorado —Peru—, just 12° south of the Equator and held gently between two lines of rounded, arid hills, lies Miguel and Francesca’s retreat house.

Almost every day, little Emilia, the youngest of their three children, lets a folded paper aeroplane take flight. In this simple game of miniature fantasy, the plane chooses its path and she follows: it sets off from the edge of the pool towards the outdoor dining area and slips into the interior; it flirts with the idea of entering the kitchen but turns instead towards the living room, brushing closely past the nape of her father’s neck as he sits in the sofa. It continues towards the bedrooms and, from all the doors, decides to slip into her favourite one, where silence and intimacy invite the imagination to wander. She comes out again and, now in the vegetable garden, the plane lands on a crate full of freshly harvested greens. Thus, guided by the wind, girl and aeroplane glide between house and valley, between architecture and territory, between desert and the half-sheltered spaces that, at times, meld into one another... READ MORE

What values does this family refuge reveal to those who wonder?... READ MORE

Conceived as a place of quietude, far from the urban clamour of dense Lima, the house is preceded by a colourful vegetable patch that occupies nearly as much ground as the built footprint itself. Horizontally, it unfurls across the terrain, placing small, atomized cells where one rests, socializes, sleeps, cooks, eats, and shares. Each one, shaped according to its own specific conditions, is tied to the others by a slender, laminar piece that creates the heart of the home, where fire and mountain can be contemplated simultaneously. Crackles and whistles in unison.

Depending on the space this roof leaves between the cells, corridors appear and lead into new rooms. Walking faster, then slower. A tension emerge that invite both a quickened pace and a momentary pause, and, beyond a curve or a gentle change in level, new atmospheres are revealed...READ MORE

Everything offered by nature was warmly received. The geographical position of the dwelling endows it with a series of qualities that grant coherence and character. Not only the fertility of the soil, perfect for cultivation, but also the southern winds that enter through one opening and leave through another in the same room, naturally cooling every space. The roofs seek to bathe in sunlight, each one tilting in a different cardinal direction.

Intimacy, too, is enhanced by placing the openings so that light enters without exposing what takes place inside. At times, the mass of the walls dematerializes, transforming into a filtered screen that tempers light and shadow and offers a sense of calm.

Finally, the mountain gives it a definitive embrace. Its pigments become the finish that coats the ensemble: an earthen plaster that leaves an ochre, oxidized tone which will weather naturally alongside those who live there. Therefore, sun, wind and earth converse reciprocally with the house which, with care and permission, sets down its roots.