Reinforced concrete is a building material that one usually hate or love. This grey and heavy modernist look can feel boring and dark, but it can also create the perfect setting for a minimalist interior. Casa H in Chile does just that.

The structural beams are supported by four walls, creating a dramatic 7-meter cantilever. These walls support the entire structure and create a base for the bedrooms. The house also includes a pool, which is set within another block of concrete at a perpendicular angle to the house itself. The house was designed by Felipe Assadi, Trinidad Schönthaler and Macarena Ávila.

The architechts have worked with large building pieces placed to create the illusion of almost hovering above ground. The reinforcements in these type of buildings are usually, though not necessarily, steel reinforcing bars. They are embedded passively in the concrete before the concrete sets and makes the material durable and strong. It also allows more creative freedom regarding the structural shape of the house, just like in Casa H.  The rough material here matches perfectly with the pale sky and wild ocean it looks out over.

All images courtesy of Fernando Alda