Ocho quebradas by Josep Ferrando

Catalan architect Josep Ferrando designed and headed a workshop with the Architecture School of the Finis Terrae University to build a pavilion in Los Vilos, Chile. The resulting architecture is striking because its historical references engage with the natural landscape.

When you see “Ocho quebradas”, the first thing that comes to mind is Leonardo da Vinci and his studies of proportions, in this case alienated by the location of the wooden installation on an old, disused railway track. All of this in an outstandingly beautiful natural environment, on km 220 of Ruta 5 Norte in Los Vilos, a city in the Coquimbo region famous for its gorgeous Pacific Ocean beaches.

An initiative called “Ocho quebrada” has been underway here for some time now, to make the most of and protect the site's natural, landscape and cultural attributes; the workshop directed by Catalan architect Josep Ferrando, for the Architecture School of the Finis Terrae University of Santiago del Chile is part of that.

Josep Ferrando explains that the architecture in the shape of a wheel - connected to the disused railway track - becomes a reference point on the horizon marked by the infinity of the ocean counterpoised against the restricted movements and human efforts. 



The workshop is part of the Trabajo Académico Colectivo (TAC) organised every year by the UFT Architecture School so students can approach practical construction work and get a deeper knowledge of the various materials used; but it also puts them in direct contact with unusual territorial realities where they can come up with original, measured projects (any reference to Leonardo da Vinci is totally deliberate): a fundamental step to educate architects in sustainable design!

Christiane Bürklein

Design director: Josep Ferrando
Architects in charge of the workshop: Andrés Echeverría (UFT) Josep Ferrando (Josep Ferrando Architecture)
Lecturing Collaborators Architettura UFT: Sergio Araneda + Mauricio Wood + Diego Alvarellos.
Collaborators Ferrando Architecture Studio: Sebastián Silva Gonzales + Diego Baloian + Helena Ribas + Nathalie Ventura + Ignacia Paris + Marina Mazzamuto + Carlos Verdugo. 
Collaborators UFT: Estudiantes de 7º y 9º semestre Arquitectura UFT  (José Miguel + Isidora + Juan Pablo + Enzo + Francisca + Juan Carlos + Rocío + Javiera + María Ignacia + Cinthia + Cristóbal + Jaime + Ignacio + Marcela +Jaime + Isidora + Winston + Nacy + Francisca + Marias + Julio + Lucas + Joaquín + Katherine + Paola + Beatriz + German + Javier + Trinidad + Maximiliano + Rodolfo + Gonzalo + Santiago + Catalina + María Ignacia + José Ignacio + Bernardita + Javier + Juan + María Fernanda + Johan + Matías + Matías + Brigitte + Karina + Karen + Elisa + Felipe + Jorge + Jaime + Coni + Magdalena + José Manuel + Laura)
Location: Los Vilos, Chile
Images: Diego Baloian, Ignacia Paris, Rodolfo Parada
More images by webcam: http://ochoquebradas.cl/lugar/tour/tourochoquebradas.html
Josep Ferrando on Livegreenblog