radical modernism
Taking advantage of the wild beauty of the sierras of Maldonado in eastern Uruguay, the Sacramonte Landscape Hotel defies expectations of a luxury retreat by treating each guest room as an isolated cabin set amidst rolling hills, lush grasslands and clusters of vineyards. Designed by Brazilian and Uruguayan studio MAPA Architects, the cabins combine the radical modernism of Philip Johnson’s Glass House with the use of local, natural materials such as wood and stone that allow the architecture to harmoniously blend into the natural landscape while offering guests an abode of comfort and sophistication without embellishments.
The hotel, consists of a total of 13 cabins, scattered across 250 acres of terrain enjoying panoramic views courtesy of their carefully selected hilltop locations. The contrast between the natural and the man-made is explored in the design of the cabin’s facades. On the rear, the walls are made up of piles of wood logs, an allusion to the countryside lifestyle where woodpiles are a typical sight, whereas on the front, one-way mirrors allow expansive views from the interiors while camouflaging the cabins from the exterior.