Scale and density exercise. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL
16/04/2023.
[Santiago de Chile] Chile
metalocus, ANDRÉS BLANCO
metalocus, ANDRÉS BLANCO
The Chilean architecture practice Studio CL completed a collective house in Santiago. The building is part of the fifth stage of Ochoalcubo, a pioneering experimental architecture project in Chile that explores new formats and spaces. The DSP Building proposes a sustainable way for the development of high-rise housing within a city that is going through a fast-paced urban transformation process.
In the city of Santiago de Chile, there are areas neglected for decades, which have seen a dramatic surge in real estate development and construction over the last 20 years, in a steady and exponential repopulation process. As a result, rising real estate prices and rents are making it increasingly difficult for new urbanites to find housing, while predatory urban development practices threaten to erase the very character that brought them to these neighbourhoods in the first place.
In the city of Santiago de Chile, there are areas neglected for decades, which have seen a dramatic surge in real estate development and construction over the last 20 years, in a steady and exponential repopulation process. As a result, rising real estate prices and rents are making it increasingly difficult for new urbanites to find housing, while predatory urban development practices threaten to erase the very character that brought them to these neighbourhoods in the first place.
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Pablo Altikes
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Pablo Altikes
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Studio CL
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Studio CL.
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto
Ground floor plan. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
First floor plan. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
Second floor plan. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
Rooftop plan. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
South - north section. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
North - south section. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
Cross section. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
Courtyard elevations. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
Staircase axonometric view. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
Staircase axonometric view. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
Staircase. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
Model. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
Model. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
Model. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
Model. DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL.
The building designed by Studio CL is an exercise in scale and density, having to fit three houses on a plot previously occupied by a single residence. Three different types of apartments are concentrated inside a 160 m² duplex on the ground floor with a large backyard; a 60 m² studio on the second floor; and a 137 m² penthouse on top that occupies the entire roof. Access to the different levels is through a staircase, flanked by vegetation, which runs through the centre of the building.
The building structure is a precast concrete foundation that spans the entire width of the property. The structure's system of walls and ribbed tiles allows large spans to be generated inside without the need for central support. This single quality allows for the multiplicity of types inside the building, making each floor’s interior effectively independent from the one below.
An expanded aluminium veil covers the front and rear façades, providing shade to the north and privacy from the street to the south. Due to the use of the precast system, the entire concrete structure was assembled in less than 5 weeks, including fabrication.
The building structure is a precast concrete foundation that spans the entire width of the property. The structure's system of walls and ribbed tiles allows large spans to be generated inside without the need for central support. This single quality allows for the multiplicity of types inside the building, making each floor’s interior effectively independent from the one below.
An expanded aluminium veil covers the front and rear façades, providing shade to the north and privacy from the street to the south. Due to the use of the precast system, the entire concrete structure was assembled in less than 5 weeks, including fabrication.
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto.
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto.
Project description by Studio CL
The city of Santiago like many other capitals of the developing world is going through a fast-paced urban transformation process. Long-neglected parts of the city have seen a dramatic surge in real estate development and construction over the last 20 years. The city’s downtown neighbourhoods have been affected like no other. Mostly abandoned to economic and institutional roles during the eighties, the new century has brought a steady, exponential repopulation process. Along with the positive outcomes—like the reappreciation of public space and urban life—rising real estate prices and rents are making it increasingly difficult for the new urbanites to find housing, while predatory urban development practices threaten to erase the very character that brought them to these neighbourhoods in the first place.
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Studio CL.
The Ochoalcubo DSP project proposes a sustainable way for housing development. Fitted in a lot previously occupied by just one residence, it’s an exercise in micro-scale density. Three different apartment typologies are housed inside a precast concrete shell: a 1730-square-foot duplex apartment on the ground floor with a large backyard; a 700-square-foot studio apartment on the second floor; and a 1400-square-foot penthouse at the top that enjoys the whole rooftop. At the centre of the building, an ethereal steel-plate staircase painted bright cerulean, provides access.
DSP apartment building in Santiago by Studio CL. Photograph by Bruno Giliberto.
The building structure is basically a shelf that spans the width of the property, built with precast walls and a double-tee flooring system, traditionally used for multi-story parking garages given the long spans it achieves without the need for central support. This single quality allows for the multiplicity of types inside the building, making each floor’s interior effectively independent from the one below. An expanded aluminium veil covers the front and back facades providing both shade and privacy from the street.
More information
Arquitectos
Studio CL. Lead architects.- Gabriel Cáceres, Daniel Lazo.
Project team
John Miller, Tomislav Mimica, Diego Melero.
Collaborators
Structural consulting.- ByB Ingenieria, Pedro Bartolomé.
Lighting.- Paula Martínez.
Area
380 m².
Dates
Construction.- 2022.
Location
Providencia, Santiago, Chile.
Manufacturers
Precast system.- Tensocre, Diego Mellado.
Photography
Bruno Giliberto, Pablo Altikes.
Daniel Lazo, Gabriel Caceres. Studio Cáceres Lazo
Studio SCL is a boutique architecture practice based in Santiago de Chile and was founded by Daniel Lazo and Gabriel Caceres in 2012.
Gabriel Caceres (1979) graduated from the Architecture School of Universidad de Chile (2006), and has a Master of Architecture in Collective Housing from Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain (2009).
Gabriel won the Yumbel Social Housing project in Biobío, Chile (2011) through public competition working with AMDEL (The Association of Municipalities for Local Development) in the design of a self-construction housing initiative. With Paula Rojas, as an associate architect of P&G architects, he developed the design scheme for the headquarters of Preunic, Santiago de Chile (2010). He designed and renovated the BIOTEC factory in Renca, Santiago (2010), with architect Sebastian Bravo. Through private commissions, he restored a heritage residence in Wisbaden, Germany (2009).
Daniel Lazo (1981) graduated from the Architecture School of Universidad de Chile (2006). Since 2016 he teaches second-year Architecture Design Studio at Universidad San Sebastian.
Daniel designed the Faculty of Sciences building for Universidad Austral in Valdivia, Chile as Associate Architect of Tidy Architects, a project won through public competition (2009-2011). He was a finalist of the International competition “Espacio para la Memoria del Poeta Pablo Neruda” in Cantalao, Isla Negra (2008) and won second prize in the public competition “Intervencion Costanera Norte” sponsored by the Chilean Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Santiago de Chile (2007). His work has appeared in multiple national and international publications.
Gabriel Caceres (1979) graduated from the Architecture School of Universidad de Chile (2006), and has a Master of Architecture in Collective Housing from Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain (2009).
Gabriel won the Yumbel Social Housing project in Biobío, Chile (2011) through public competition working with AMDEL (The Association of Municipalities for Local Development) in the design of a self-construction housing initiative. With Paula Rojas, as an associate architect of P&G architects, he developed the design scheme for the headquarters of Preunic, Santiago de Chile (2010). He designed and renovated the BIOTEC factory in Renca, Santiago (2010), with architect Sebastian Bravo. Through private commissions, he restored a heritage residence in Wisbaden, Germany (2009).
Daniel Lazo (1981) graduated from the Architecture School of Universidad de Chile (2006). Since 2016 he teaches second-year Architecture Design Studio at Universidad San Sebastian.
Daniel designed the Faculty of Sciences building for Universidad Austral in Valdivia, Chile as Associate Architect of Tidy Architects, a project won through public competition (2009-2011). He was a finalist of the International competition “Espacio para la Memoria del Poeta Pablo Neruda” in Cantalao, Isla Negra (2008) and won second prize in the public competition “Intervencion Costanera Norte” sponsored by the Chilean Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Santiago de Chile (2007). His work has appeared in multiple national and international publications.
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