The west coast of Chile is rife with brutalist-esq architecture, many of which were constructed in the 1990’s and 2000’s during a post-dictatorship economic and cultural boom. The intense territory attracted architects and artists as much for its beauty as for the desire to imagine built solutions in such poetic environments—where the sea, desert and mountains collide. The late architect, Cristián Boza, is one of many architects to build their family retreat in Los Vilos. For Casa Los Vilos, completed in 1997, Boza used materials like the warm toned stone that blend into the cliff where the home meets the sea. Long, winding walkways and circular forms including a bright concrete wall on the main terrace are all elements that both protect and immerse inhabitants into the natural terrain. Photographer Cristóbal Palma shares a visual story that is part of a body of work to catalogue contemporary Chilean architecture.
