An Interpretation Centre For The Atacama Desert

In 2013, the C.I.D. project was established to provide a base for investigations into the contemporary relationship between architecture and the landscape. Situated between San Pedro de Atacama and Ayquina, in a region recognised as the world’s driest desert, the building was created to explore the nature and culture of the environment. A clustered configuration of six volumes are covered with a corten steel exterior, which over the years will weather to an appearance of rust. Each division presents a different view of the surrounding landscape, including the distant Andes volcanoes. The site includes an observatory, research labs and a central patio area that is shielded from the wind in order to be used as a small oasis, with its own ecosystem and vegetation.