Location: Santiago, Chile

Currently in progress

This 450 m2 modern home is located in an exclusive country club set the foothills of the Andes Mountains. Designed for seamless indoor / outdoor living, generous balconies are integrated throughout the home to enjoy the expansive mountain views and covered terraces cascade down the hillside integrating with the sloping site. The double height living room serves as the heart of the home and features a dramatic stone fireplace volume extending the full height of the space to visually connect the two levels of the home.

Location: St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort. Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

Year: 2020

LIGHT and AIRY

How can the clean horizontal lines of the ocean meeting the sky inspire the design for a luxurious beachfront home?

Location: Talca, Chile

Currently in Progress

Set on a three-acre farm, this 12,000 square foot house was designed for the client to live, to run a business, to workout, and to play seamlessly, despite whatever shocks may be happening in the world.

Inspired by the architecture of traditional Italian villas, the client wanted a spacious courtyard style home with terraces and covered patios where one could have privacy while enjoying views of the farm. The home includes office suites, a full gym, spa, cinema, game rooms, and rooms for staff, providing all of the features necessary to ensure the client´s lifestyle would never be compromised.

To ensure resiliency and independence, the design for the property infrastructure includes construction of several wells, installation of solar panels and a generator for energy, and the planting of gardens and orchards ensuring different crops are grown year-round.

Year: Currently in Progress

Masterplan for vineyard and equestrian development on a 250-acre property in a popular wine region of Chile.

Emerge analyzed the property, prepared masterplans and conducted feasibility studies for a lifestyle residential development for a private real estate developer. Prepared pro formas, conducted market analysis, and prepared financial analysis to determine ROI for client.

Coordinate surveying, subdivision of land, infrastructure design and implementation to prepare site for future development.

Location: Matanzas, Chile

Year: 2020

Located in a small coastal village in Chile, this beach cabin offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. The cabin was designed for a family that imagined a cozy and efficient dwelling, but wanted to have the space for accommodating family and friends.

The constraints of the site and budget demanded that the house could only be 100 m2. The challenge was to maximize the amount of bedrooms and bathrooms in a way that would allow two families to have separate quarters, and to create a spacious common area extending outside onto a deck.

Although the footprint of the house is small, the high ceilings and clerestory windows bringing in ample natural light, allow the cabin to feel generous. The layout features an open kitchen, dining, and living area at the center with a North and South wing, each containing two bedrooms and a bathroom.

The cabin was built from SIPS (structural insulated Panels), allowing the construction time to be reduced, and providing an exceptional level of insulation. The result is an airtight home that keeps cool in the summer and warm in the winters. Other passive strategies include carefully designed cross ventilation and natural daylight throughout.

RIPE COMMUNITY: Regenerative, Innovative and Productive Estates

Location: VII Region, Chile

Year: 2016

Masterplan for a regenerative community.

Developed the concept for a prototype community focused on production and regeneration, improving the way typical communities are designed and built. Rather than consuming resources, the community and the individual homes are centers of production growing food, generating energy from renewable sources on site, and recycling water and waste.

Sourced and analyzed properties, prepared master plans and prepared pro formas itemizing land, infrastructure and development costs. Prepared investment strategy and pitched to investors.

Location: Las Condes, Santiago. Chile

Completed: 2018

Photographer: Gonzalo Sánchez Tagle

A digital marketing and creative agency approached Emerge with the challenge of renovating their existing dark and labyrinth like office on a modest budget. The goal of the project was to open up the office and transform it into a modern and luminous space inspiring creativity and teamwork.

Throughout the design process, there was a close creative collaboration between the client and Emerge resulting in an innovative design that responds to the unique identity and culture of company. The space is organized as an open plan with break out areas for brainstorming sessions and informal meetings. As a company that originally started as the first Cyber Cafe in Chile over 20 years ago, one of the first design concepts was to bring back the cafe culture to the company. A vibrant cafe and lounge area with sliding chalk boards provide informal spaces where the creative teams can work.

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Location: Vitacura, Chile

Completed: 2021

Photographer: Gonzalo Sánchez Tagle

This 400 m2 office combines rustic and modern elements to create a clear brand identity for a Global Agricultural Company. The client wanted the space to feel warm and “down to earth”, but at the same time represent their image as an innovative and forward-thinking company. The design uses planks of Raulí woodharvested directly from their farm in the South of Chile to clad walls in the reception area, brainstorming room, and kitchen.

The layout considered how to maximize the number of workstations for the growing company, while allowing a flexibility in the types of spaces available for the staff to work individually, in teams, and in meeting rooms. Cozy cabins were constructed in the reception area providing a place for small meetings and focused work to happen away from the open workstation area. A lounge provides a light filled open space with soft seating for working or meeting in a more relaxed setting.

The brainstorming room combines rustic with high-tech elements. A warm wood clad media wall contains a smart screen, video camera, and speakers allowing the client to strategize with their teams located in different parts of the world. This room quickly became the heart of the office. It is the place where creative work takes place and where the staff can come together to have lunch at the farm style table.

In the open office, a wall mural was inspired by the patchwork of farmlands seen from an aerial view. This mural brings the colors of planted fields from the farm to the urban office environment.

Location: Vitacura, Santiago. Chile

Completed: 2016

The prominent design theme for this private office located on the lower level of a LEED Gold building, was to delineate zones and define boundaries without compromising the sensations of spaciousness and light. The result is a design that features white washed wood panels and a system of slats to create thresholds, filter views, and to frame zones of use while allowing natural light to penetrate throughout the office. The modern and simple palette of light pine and smooth black granite is consistent from the reception desk all the way through to the private offices and conference room to unify the spaces. 

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Currently in Construction

Designed as an upscale co-work rental office for established professional service firms, the client wanted the space to be minimal and elegant yet maintain a warm and inviting feeling. Glass dividing walls allow the views of the ocean to be seen throughout the office. Accents of wood slats and graphite grey lacquered millwork for the reception area, conference room and kitchen add warmth and drama.

Location: Vitacura, Chile

Currently in construction

This law office was designed to be minimal and sophisticated, yet cozy and welcoming. The client wanted the space to feel like an extension of home and to maintain the character of a small and friendly style law firm.

The reception area features a desk fabricated from carrara marble and walnut wood. Natural light is brought into the reception area and common corridors through the use of glass walls at the conference rooms with sections of frosted film to provide privacy.

An informal meeting area also functions as a place for the lawyers to have lunch together. Wood panels and slats on the wall and ceiling bring warmth, acoustical treatment, and definition to the open space.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Year: 2019

Upon entering the reception area, the design for the corporate offices of a privately owned bank conveys the image of strength and sophistication. The wall behind the desk is clad in graphite grey stone tile. This same material continues cladding around the secure storage area to create a dramatic element within the whole office. Elements of warm wood are used for the reception desk and furniture for contrast.

Decorative screens between the reception area and the lounge create a physical separation to define the spaces, while allowing natural light to enter into the reception area. The screens are a modern interpretation of old banks where the tellers were secured behind bars.

Location: St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort. Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

Year: 2019

SPACIOUS and LUXURIOUS

How can design set the stage for entertainment and relaxation at this beach front penthouse?

Location: Piriapolis, Uruguay

Year: 2015

Location: Santiago, Chile

Completed: 2016

This penthouse apartment located in a fashionable neighborhood of Santiago, was renovated for a jet-setting client with a passion for wine, entertaining, and sexy hotel suites.

The renovation involved transforming a dark, segmented, and outdated space into an open and sophisticated residence with a minimalist style.

Inspired by Japanese design, a simplified palette of black, white, and wood was used to create harmony throughout. Doors with black stained wood frames and etched glass were inspired by shoji screens. They provide separation of spaces, while allowing natural light to penetrate into the interior corridors.

Location: Talca, Chile

Year: 2013

During the initial site visits, the prominent agricultural lines marked by the vineyards below were noted as having a striking resemblance to an airport landing strip. This idea of flight and landing stood out as the organizing concepts of the design responding directly to the client´s lifestyle. As a person who travels to over 100 countries each year, it was fitting to design the home as two wings that extend out following the contours of the land and conveying this sensation of flight. From every room in the home, the extensive views are celebrated and spaces are constantly connected out to the covered front terrace set precisely on axis with the most prominent line in the landscape, which coincidentally points directly to a volcano in the distant view beyond. Programmatically, the two different wings provided a separation between the office wing and the living wing while an expansive covered terrace is located at the joint to unify the whole structure. An enormous boulder was another landscape feature celebrated by the design. This boulder always served as a place to rest and take in the view after hiking up to the site. In the design, the boulder marks the entrance to the house and guests have the opportunity to perch on it looking out over the roof of the home or experience it from below, as they enter the home. Further working with the steep slope of the land, guests could park above the main level of the home and enter the guest bedrooms located on the upper level separately.  

Zip home is an innovative high performance home that is simple, modern, and affordable.  Designed as a prototype for a pre-fabricated energy efficient home which could be available to install in just four months time at any site throughout Chile. The two bedroom home was designed based on the modules of SIP panel construction. By working with the exact dimensions, it eliminates material waste and avoids a significant amount of work in the field. A high level of insulation is achieved through the use of these interlocking panels. Passive heating, cooling, and ventilation is achieved through the carefully calculated openings and angles of the home.

Project by Shubin Donaldson. Kimberly Briolini was Project Captain during the Conceptual, Schematic and Design Development Phases

Shubin Donaldson

New three story 2500 sq. ft. single family home designed on a constricted site with sweeping mountain to ocean views. The home seeks to blur the boundary of interior and exterior space by providing living areas with floor to ceiling glass and sliding glass doors leading to several patios and yard spaces. The third-level houses the kitchen, family room, dining room, and deck which cantilevers out to shade the glass below and capture the stunning views.

GREEN DESIGN FEATURES

• Home orientation to the South for passive solar heating and illumination. 
• Earth bermed lower level providing natural insulation. 
• Passive cooling created by cantilevered third level and operable wood slats. 
• Passive solar heating of concrete floors and exposed concrete walls. 
• Natural cooling and ventilation acheived by operable openings and heat chimney. 
• Natural daylighting: Large high performance double glazed doors, windows, and skylights.
• Solar water heating for domestic hot water and radiant floors.
• Photovoltaics for solar electricity on the roof.
• Steel frame and poured in place concrete construction selected for durability and low maintenance. 
• Concrete walls, and floors will be exposed on exterior and interior requiring no additional finish or maintenance.

Location: Talca, Chile

Year: 2012

The design for this 2,800 sq. ft. ( 260 m2) three bedroom home is a modern version of the traditional courtyard style homes found in the central region of Chile where the house is located.  Utilizing traditional elements such as deep overhangs extending over covered porches, exposed wood beams, private courtyards, and a hip roof in combination with modern detailing such as wide expanses of glass and clean lines allows the house to be more open and streamlined while respecting the sense of place. The house responds carefully to the particularities of the site and is designed for passive heating, cooling and ventilation. Perched up on a slope above a 12 hectare grove of plums, the house is organized on East-West axis with the courtyard open on the Northern side to embrace the spectacular view of the groves and valley below and for better control of the sun. The deep overhangs provide protection, shading the interior when the hot summer sun is high in the sky and the sun angles were carefully calculated to let the sun shine into the home during the winter months for passive heating. The house becomes an extension of the surrounding rocky landscape as the solid stone walls provide a base for the main open living areas and protect the sunken courtyard where it will remain cooler in the summer. In combination with the pool, the natural breezes coming up from the valley will pull the cooled air in through the house. 

SOVEREIGN VALLEY RESILIENT COMMUNITY

Location: Talca, Chile

Year: 2012

Masterplan for a Resilient Community and design of homes

This 1,000 acre farm features varying terrain ranging from flat fertile fields for cultivating agriculture, to rolling hills with impressive views of the valley and the Andes Mountains.

Emerged was hired by an entrepreneur to plan a resilient community comprised of generously sized residential lots centered around a farm producing food for the community. Rather than focusing simply on home ownership, the development was designed to enable the residents to face an uncertain world from a position of strength and security, by independently sourcing food, water, and energy.

Location: Talca, Chile

Year: 2012

This two bedroom scandinavian style home was designed on a sloping lot set in a small clearing amongst a pine forest. The home has a compact footprint allowing it to be nestled within the trees yet feels spacious as the open plan in combination with the open second story loft provides a continuous flow of space on multiple levels. Inspired by tree houses, the main living room and loft are set higher above the ground and perch out to integrate with the tree canopies where the views of the mountains and valley below can be appreciated. Wood is the prominent material used both on the interior and exterior to blend in with the surroundings and maintain the feeling of a cozy cabin. 

Location: Talca, Chile

Year: 2012

Working with a steep slope, this house is organized as a long and narrow scheme stretching out parallel with the contours of the land. This strategy reduced the amount of grading and avoided having to work with either a massive cantilever or a tall foundation wall that would be a costly part of the construction cost.  A series of exterior courtyards are inserted between the interior rooms inviting greenery and light throughout the home. The prominent floor and roof slabs unify the undulating structure allowing the visual impact of the house on the landscape to be minimal.  When viewed from below,  the house is seen as a simple single story volume with clean lines. From above, a green roof utilizing drought tolerant succulents allows the house to appear as a continuation of the landscape and is in essence giving back a large roof area to a regenerative natural ecosystem. An infinity pool is the dramatic focal point of the house providing a seamless connection to the expansive views of the mountains beyond. 

Designed as a prototype for a pre-fabricated energy efficient home which could be available to install in just four months time at any site throughout Chile . The two bedroom home was designed based on the modules of SIP panel construction. By working with the exact dimensions, it eliminates material waste and avoids a significant amount of work in the field. A highlevel of insulation is achieved through the use of these interlocking panels. Passive heating, cooling, and ventilation is achieved through the carefully calculated openings and angles of the home.