The other day I took the Linea San Martin train out a few stops to Villa Del Parque, one of Buenos Aires' many, quiet, pleasant, tree-lined, middle class neighborhoods. I walked along various backstreets all the way to Liniers, through areas that never, ever see tourists. There were a lot of chalet-style houses that I couldn't resist taking pictures of. I've been documenting my little obsession with chalet's for awhile now on flickr. The more I explore these areas, as well as greater Buenos Aires, the more I realize how truly massive this chalet project could become. At least half of all houses built today in Argentina follow this basic style. I might as well be taking pictures of California ranch-style houses in Encino.
One difference, I suppose, is that most houses here are built on spec. People aren't buying some cookie cutter template thought up by the marketing types at KB Homes but, instead, are expressing their own personal, domestic fantasy with every Chalet built.
2 comments:
Every time someone talks about Buenos Aires architecture, especially, teh one from the 90's on, I just cannot help mentioning the citation of your architect friend. The one you quoted in one of your first posts on these chalets.
I hope that beside the bizarre houses and building you can enjoy the nice constructions in the city.
Haha! I'd forgotten about that commentary. Here it is again:
No viene de ninguna lado... es la grasada chic cara de new rich que contrata a un arquitecto amigo grasa... Sería un techo Neo Alpino, con mucho machimbre (madera de pino teñida y barnizada brilloso.... grasa, madera barata pero porque al grasa le gusta el machimbre de pino... Este New rich por lo general es comerciante del conurbano bonaerense o del once... O tienen un negocio grande y tradicional heredado de los abuelos en algun barrio que no es donde está esta casa.
And here's the original post [over on my personal blog.
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