Location and Context
Located in Potrero de Garay, within the Calamuchita Valley, this refuge sits in the mountain landscape under the name Shido, a Japanese term meaning “seed.” The project is driven by a strong commitment to respecting its natural context, seeking an intimate and direct connection with the environment of the Sierras de Córdoba. Its design follows the logic of minimal architecture: the refuge does not intrude but rather germinates and integrates into the landscape.
Functional and Spatial Organization
The refuge stretches the limited dimensions of a minimum program to create spaces of great visual and functional breadth. To achieve this, the project is developed over two levels within a generously tall volume that houses a mezzanine, sharing the airspace and multiplying the sense of interior scale.
The main level makes the most of its floor area with a fully equipped bathroom and an open social area, where the kitchen integrates fluidly into the main space. The interior layout eliminates unnecessary transitions, prioritizing open views toward the outside. In the exterior area, the experience is complemented by a pool with hydromassage jets, strategically placed with a clear view of the sierras to strengthen the connection with nature.
Materiality and Awareness
The project adopts a traditional construction system, topped by a lightweight metal roof that responds efficiently to the regional climate. However, Shido’s defining trait lies in its material skin. Inside, the use of natural wood brings warmth and shelter to everyday life.
In contrast, the exterior is clad in charred wood. This aesthetic and technological choice also functions as an architectural statement: it critically raises a recurring issue in the province of Córdoba, seeking to build awareness about the use of fire and the preservation of the sierras through the building’s own materiality.
