Refugia Hotel designed by the practice of Mobil Arquitectos is an elegant linear structure which exerts a light footprint on the environmentally sensitive region of Chiloe, an island in the Lakes Region of Southern Chile. The area is famed for its natural beauty and rich wildlife of its wetlands and it is this which inspired the architects to design a bridge like structure on pillars which appears to be emerging from the hill on which it stands, as part of the natural environment.
The inclement climate of the region posed a design challenge for the architects as, in order for each guest room to enjoy the best of the south facing views of the lakes and the distant Andes, the rooms could not enjoy the northern sunlight. This problem was tackled by employing a passive design strategy together with mechanical means and a method of trapping any available heat within the concrete floors. Extensive overhangs monitor the summer sunlight and dissipate the rainfall, common to the region.
Parametric design technology was used by the architects when planning the precise positioning of the larch shingle, used as a protective skin for the structure as insulation against heat loss and aiding cooling efficiency. However, it was the skill of local craftsmen who carried out the actual work, making this a wonderful combination of the contrasting elements of technology and local crafts.
