What once was a simple shelter for rain and the threat of wild animals, becomes something entirely new in the hands of Spanish practice UMMOestudio. Travelling across the Atlantic to land in the beautiful city of Córdoba in Argentina, Casa Tierra offers a unique combination of stone quarry and the absolute presence of a minimalist abode.
The project in hand is only a fraction of Cuevas del Pino, a boutique hotel offering four distinctive dwellings for its guests. Unsurprisingly, Casa Tierra is the most eye-catching option. Clad with rustic materials and fabrics, the theme of this room is clearly rooted in bucolic sensibilities. The interior design manages to instil a minimalist tone while employing furniture with materials such as straw and raw cotton. With its ample 104sqm, there is plenty of room for the cave element to breathe. An important contrast as not to cause the sense of subjugation from the natural wall. The illusion of the white cube structure emerging from the stone wall is jarring, a juxtaposition of absolute control of a man-made structure in complete harmony with a natural element. As minimalism is often employed as the ultimate symbol of abstraction and industrial advancements, Casa Tierra breaks said conventions effortlessly.
It is invigorating to see a distinctive variation of what could have been yet another stand-alone house with a stone backdrop. Outstanding.
Photography by David Vico.

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