In the Chiloé Archipelago in southern Chile, a hidden gem of four tiny homes awaits nature-lovers. Remotely located in the commune of Queilén, Tiny Houses Comarca Contuy is a unique retreat that offers isolation in nature, warm hospitality and unforgettable “glamping” — glamorous camping — in four timber cabins elevated into the treetops. These cabins were designed by Chilean architecture firm Utreras Arquitectos.
Completed in 2016, Tiny Houses Comarca County was commissioned by Comarca Contuy, an entity that promotes tourism in the region through art, culture and nature-related ventures. Nestled between the Chilean evergreen trees known as coigüe, the site-specific cluster of four cabins are carefully crafted in response to the uneven topography and views overlooking the Paildad estuary. As a result, the timber cabins are elevated and located at different heights.
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“The idea was born from creating four shelters ‘glamping’ style among the trees, looking for formality and disposition of the latter, as well as the birds’ nests, through the proposed circular windows,” say the architects in a project statement. “Each one of these four shelters has spaces to be in and spend the night, connecting each other and the rest of the place through a wooden footbridge. The different views to the exterior, the immersion in the middle of the trees and the proximity with the estuary, make it possible to feel the wind and some species of birds in a close way when entering and being on the work.”
To blend the buildings into the environment, all four cabins are clad in timber and elevated on cypress foundation piles. Local coigüe wood was used for the primary and secondary structural beams, while cinnamon wood was used for partitions and trusses. Each unit is equipped with a private patio, a kitchen with an oven and a shared bathroom with a shower. The sleeping areas are located on the second floor.
Photography by Gustavo Burgos via Utreras Arquitectos
