LAMA pavilion. A solitary monolith emerging unfettered amid the wilderness in Yungay, Chile. It emerges like a fracture, an anomaly, in the verdant and undulating landscape, the limits of which culminate in the Andes mountains on one side, the Pacific Ocean on the farthest edge of the other side, and the Cholguan River running nearby. The construction of the pavilion was undertaken under a native forest preservation project that was initiated by the Chile-based art and architecture studio Pezo von Ellrichshausen. LAMA pavilion is also part of the Chilean studio’s LUNA project, which encompasses the dwelling and the workspace of Mauricio Pezo and Sofía von Ellrichshausen of Pezo von Ellrichshausen. Just like the LUNA house, which extends horizontally, unrestrained, and is defined by the spatial relationships apparent throughout its interiors, the LAMA pavilion, too, juts out from the ground and is characterised by the spatial location of two primary areas, with one resting on top of the other.

The LAMA pavilion, stationed at the edge of an abrupt change in topography, lies close to LUNA. This aberrance in the landscape also marks the largest inflexion in the Cholguan River, a water body, the route of which separates the Nuble and Bio-Bio regions. The LAMA pavilion in Chile, South America, built with the same formwork and materials used to construct LUNA (that is, reinforced concrete made and poured in situ), extends up to the height of 15 metres. A spiral staircase made with steel rebars serves as the path for circulation within the structure. It offers spanning views of its proximal landscape, which is scantily populated, by a few farmers and fewer structures. The architecture pavilion fulfils the function of a landmark in this exiguously inhabited terrain.

Bearing an evident resemblance to lighthouses, albeit in a minimalist and brutalist tone, the pavilion is designed to serve as a lookout tower or a look-in space, depending on how one manages to experience the structure. On the one hand, it is built to serve as a watchtower, to ensure forest safety, and on the other, it offers a space, affixed midway on the vertical structure, where one can relax, walk around, sit and view the rich landscape around. Hence, it also serves as a contemplation tower. “With a vertical succession of rooms, it was built to look at the Andes Mountains, hidden amongst old native trees,” the studio shares.

The name of the pavilion comes from the Spanish word ‘lama,’ which is further derived from the Latin word ‘lamina,’ which means ‘a slim plate.’ The term refers to the horizontal slab that divides the tower into two halves. The concrete architecture, hence appears to be formatted in the form of a slender volume that comprises two towers stacked against each other, and separated into equal halves by the slab. This slab serves as an eave for the lower tower, casting its shadow upon the vertical structure throughout the day, like ‘a permanent cloud.’ On the other hand, the platform functions as both the floor and terrace for the upper half of the tower. “Floor and roof become a horizontal plate that sits halfway the elevation, a thin plane cantilevered in every cardinal direction,” the studio explains.

This platform features inverted beams at its perimeter, hence serving as a container that can hold water. Referred to as a shallow pond by the architects, the cavity on this slab can contain rainwater. The accumulation of water in this space renders the slab into a reflective surface that mirrors the upper section of the tower, as well as the surrounding trees and the sky. When glancing at this platform from above, the reflection hints at the presence of the lower tower and renders a transparent quality to the flat reflective surface. The accumulated water attracts various birds and insects to this spot. However, as the pond is shallow, the water contained within it is meant to overflow over the protruding beams, hence projecting the effect of rain for the lower tower. In order to prevent the stagnation of the same water for extended periods of time, the pavilion design comprises four copper tubes that are inserted into each of the four corners of the slab to allow the draining of water.

The access to the suspended platform is provided by means of a spiral staircase. Moving upward on this stairwell, one witnesses a continuous mural of vines painted (and real) on the indoor walls of the pavilion. These illustrations depict 30 native flowers, all decorating a continuous branch that runs from the bottom to the top. "After the platform, a feeble wood ladder allows access to a black room with four peepholes, a kind of devious camera obscura, which then leads to an open, overexposed rooftop with a fire pit that, at the right distance, might turn the entire tower into an outdated chimney,” the architects elaborate.

The rich natural landscape surrounding the pavilion, prone to change with seasons and passing years, promises to offer novel views from the cantilevered platform. Additionally, it implores one to imagine the reflections of distinct and richer skies and landscapes than their extant versions.

Project Details

Name: LAMA
Location: Santa Lucia Alto, Yungay, Chile
Area: 35 square metres
Year of completion: 2023
Architect: Pezo von Ellrichshausen (Mauricio Pezo & Sofia von Ellrichshausen)
Collaborators: Emilie Kjaer, Maria Arnold, Francesco Caminati, Beatrice Pedrotti, Theo Cozzi, Olga Arzul
Structure: Sergio Contreras
Construction: Constructora Natural
Material: Reinforced concrete
Client: Fundacion Artificial