Hotel Tierra Atacama II

The project is located in the Antofagasta region, in the world’s most arid desert. In this same area, we discovered Chilean travertine, a material that transformed our landscape practice and has been showcased at the Venice Biennale (2016) and IGA Berlin (2017). The new phase of the Tierra Atacama Hotel gave us the opportunity to work with this material in its place of origin, where, despite the quarry’s proximity, it has yet to be used. This return deeply inspired the project.
Located in San Pedro de Atacama—an oasis at 2,407 metres above sea level—the hotel had already been designed by our firm in 2005. In 2023, the focus was on renewing its main entrance, the Corral, a space with nearly intact adobe walls, a remnant of old muleteer routes.
The proposal highlights existing elements—the algarrobo tree and local soil—by incorporating travertine as a contrasting material. A diagonal path and a water channel lead to a basin where the tree is reflected. The use of travertine in various forms, alongside a grove of native species, gives identity to the place and offers a serene welcome, in harmony with the landscape of northern Chile.

Hotel Architecture: FG Arquitectos