We have revealed our competition design entry for the Chilean-Argentine border complex along the Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass. The project is designed to serve as a welcoming station and refuge for travelers, complementing the Patagonian tradition of remote mountain shelters that are commonly found across the southern Andes.
This design would have been built primarily as a mass timber structure constructed from sustainably-sourced timber from the region. Additional sustainable design elements include solar exposure calibration, natural ventilation to ensure comfortable indoor settings while minimizing impact on the region’s natural resources, and the potential for small-scale, on-site renewable energy generation, most notably geothermal wells from the surrounding volcanic activity.