MD House in Patagonia, Argentina uses abstract prisms to create a relationship with the dramatic landscape.

   In Patagonia, where the landscapes are huge, dramatic, and almost otherworldly, architecture must either stand out from its surroundings or become part of the natural world. The MD House, designed by Alric Galindez Architects, is an attempt to both offset the house from the landscape and, at the same time, use its relationship with the outdoors to enhance the natural setting. The house, nestled amongst dense vegetation on a hillside above Gutiérrez Lake, uses five abstract geometric prisms to explore the relationship between humans, buildings and the natural environment.

   The five prisms are built with space between them and connected to each other by a series of bridges, stairs, and hallways. Moving through the house, inhabitants are forced into the landscape each time they traverse from one prism to the next. This immersion in the landscape allows each part of the building to act as a refuge from the outside world. The contrast between the connectors and prisms, the architect says, creates a rhythm for the house.

   Each prism is rotated on its axis so that the roofs slope in contrast with one another, echoing the peaks and slopes of Patagonia‘s mountainous landscape. By dividing the large home – which is more than 3,000 square feet – into smaller spaces, the architect created a series of cozy spaces within the home. Leaving some distance between each distinct building allows for privacy and quiet contemplation of the natural world that surrounds it.