RDA : Estancia Morro Chico
Naturally drawn to the romance of wild remote environments, the viewing of RDR’s Estancia Morro Chico, immediately caught my attention. With the exotic Andes directly to the west along with the significance of 19th century Scottish immigrants to Patagonia, the discovery began to take on a virtual trip to an exciting part of South America!
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The project resonated for other reasons too: the refined architecture and interiors tailored to a down-to-earth way of life as befits the region, the remodelling agenda and the end user: the sheep farmers of Patagonia.
A rich repository of historic, romantic and adventurous references to sate the heart of aesthetes across the globe.
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There were many objectives: to preserve the natural heritage, create sustainable construction, establish the best production of meat and wool, and to improve the life of those who lived and worked there.
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Between the brutal extremes, (both climatic and physical) and pragmatic workers, the architecture not only had to be, but also appear to be both basic and practical.
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The architects…were inspired by the traditional architecture of the region, which demonstrated extreme austerity and an almost primitive simplicity, introduced into the immensity of the Patagonian desert.
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While the plan and style of architecture is technically sophisticated, it comes across as simple, sufficient and yet sedately beautiful; completely synchronised to the people and the surroundings.
The surrounding flat land seems to both stretch interminably into the distance and back in time, in accordance with a sense that the building and interiors echo the desired ‘primitive simplicity’ of earlier precedents.
Elementary spaces and tough products mean wear and tear will not diminish the structures over time; rather general use will speak to the quality of the materials, and to the no fuss demeanour of the people who will use it: the Patagonian farmers.
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RDR’s interiors are at once conceptually elegant and fitted to the purpose: robust and contemporary, soft and inviting, prudent and sustainable.
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The architects subscribed to an environmentally responsible plan for the station. Structures and materials were restored and recycled where possible, and when necessary buildings were thermally insulated.
The chosen materials serve the interior design scheme aesthetically and functionally the year round: grey stone floors and a dependance on timber means cool interiors in summer while the same details (with the addition of open fire) create warm and cosy environments to escape from the freezing winters. The reliance on sustainable options (both inside and out) is at once good for the environment and the longevity of the project. Additionally,
One of the notable improvements was the introduction of systems to produce clean and renewable energy.
Estancia Morro Chico is in the south west of Patagonia near the Argentinian / Chilean border. The Patagonia comprises some 673,000sq kilometres of steppe and desert, bound on the west by the Andes and the Straits of Magellan to the south. Putting it into perspective, Patagonia’s oldest glacier is some 200k’s north-east of Estancia Morro Chico, and the Patagonian ice fields are the second largest outside Antarctica, making the winters in this part of the world especially harsh.
In Puerto Santa Cruz, the summers are long and comfortable; the winters are short and very cold; and it is dry, windy, and partly cloudy year round.
The climate can indeed be daunting; the temperature typically varies from 31°F (-0.5C) to 72°F (22.2C), yet is rarely below 23°F (-5C) or above 83°F (28.3C).
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The building offers a beacon of comfort, salvation, easy acceptance of the farmers after what might be a gruelling day on the land.
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Richter Dahl Rocha have synchronised 21st century aesthetics and values with a unique and enduring architectural concept: a quiet and refined oasis in the desert.
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