SENIOR TEXT

SENIOR SUITES SAN LUIS HILL Location: San Luis Hill, Las Condes, Santiago de Chile Architect: Enrique Browne Collaborators: Patricio Browne, Sebastián Morandé, Enrique C. Browne and Davor Pavlovic Models: Verónica Celedón Site Area: 12.800 sq. mt. Constructed Area: 19.092 sq. mt

A golf club from the east side of Santiago de Chile has 63 hectares of terrain. Like a “green lung” has generated big positive outwards, increasing the value of the sites and the constructions of the neighborhood. But this club has not exploited the opportunities that it has generated. For example, it includes two sites of high commercial value that have never been used. One of them is located in the northern slope of San Luis Hill. It consists in 5 hectares destroyed by quarries, but with the best sun light and spectacular views to the courts and the Los Andes range of mountains. To rent them in a long-term was proposed, in order to generate resources. The legal restrictions allowed only its use as a sports equipment, education, health equipment or hotel. After analyzing different alternatives, a Senior Suites program was proposed, just in the most damaged area by the biggest quarry, so to demonstrate the feasibility of the project. The project considered that nature must prevail over the constructions. It also must have its own access, different from the club access. It also must consider repairing the damage produced by the quarry without considering filling up with earth, (a very expensive solution). The project itself was divided in two parts. The superior follow the concave height shape of the quarry and the other at the lower part follows the convex shape that had the terrain before the quarry. Both buildings, interconnected, formed a big “eye” in the access, with an attractive view of trees, flowers, a waterfall and the sky. All the buildings are joined by pedestrian ramps, offering different views and promenades.