The Use of Natural Stone in Contemporary Argentinian Architecture

Written by Agustina Iñiguez | Translated by Antonia Piñeiro
Published on February 26, 2024

From Tafí del Valle to San Carlos de Bariloche, the implementation of natural stone in contemporary Argentine architecture reveals the decisions of architects seeking to maintain a dialogue with their surrounding environment and highlight the purity of materials. While stone is one of the oldest building materials, enduring throughout history, its application in homes in Uruguay, Brazil, and Mexico highlights different characteristics in terms of textures, shapes, shades, and patterns.

Intervening in various topographies, certain architectural practices in Argentina choose to enhance and revalue the traditional construction processes, techniques, and materials inherent to each site, often referencing features such as stone retaining walls. As defined by the Royal Spanish Academy stone retaining walls denote walls constructed using dry stone techniques. Employed by pre-Incan cultures like the Amaichas, Tombones, Quilmes, etc., these walls consist of stones of varying sizes and shapes that interlock without mortar. Whether serving as containment or dividing structures, they establish limits and boundaries and delineate areas. Occasionally, stone retaining walls can be found along mountain trails, serving as shelters built by the original inhabitants.

Regardless of the type of stone, color, or texture, this material offers a wide range of applications and the ability to interact with other materials. For instance, it can be used to create a baseboard in harmony with the landscape, as seen in Casa Bayo, or to direct bricks on a wall, as showcased in House for Dani and Luis. According to the criteria of architecture professionals and the needs of each home, its contemporary use may or may not refer to vernacular techniques. Instead, it adapts to various interior and exterior environments of the house, such as circulation spaces, access areas, and living spaces.

Below, we present a selection of 15 houses in Argentina that use stone in combination with other materials such as steel, reinforced concrete, wood, and more, responding to the climatic conditions of each particular site while achieving architecture of low maintenance, quality, and durability.