Residential | Lago Arenal | 2025 | Area: 400 m2
Born from the Lake
LAFKEN emerges as a house deeply inspired by the presence of Lake Arenal and its surrounding mountainous landscape. Its name, derived from the Mapudungun word for “lake,” reflects the essence of the project
an architecture in which water becomes the most important material of the house. More than a landscape feature, water flows through the architecture itself, structuring the spatial experience and establishing a constant relationship with the natural surroundings.
The house adopts a triangular plan geometry that responds to the intention of fully opening the architecture toward the views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. The design is expressed through a brutalist language where concrete and stone engage in dialogue with the terrain, while two water elements cut through the house, organizing the program and separating activities according to their character. These bodies of water not only structure the spatial layout but also introduce reflections, movement, and light into the interior spaces.
An Arrival Framed by Water
The arrival to the house becomes an architectural experience in itself. Two different access paths lead visitors through concrete canyons that frame the entrance and gradually reveal the landscape. Above the house, two reflecting pools form the roofscape, transforming the upper terrace into a unique contemplative space. From this vantage point, the water of the pools visually merges with Lake Arenal, creating the sensation of an endless horizon where architecture, water, and landscape converge.
