Gaucho Luxe: Estancia Vik José Ignacio

John Newton -- Interior Design, 6/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

firm:m. daglio & associados
site: josé ignacio, uruguay

The environs of Uruguay's José Ignacio village, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, once offered only the occasional cow or eucalyptus tree to interrupt the endless vistas of flat, windswept ranch land. Now, the 12-room Estancia Vik José Ignacio is making its luxurious mark on the hardscrabble home of the gauchos and fishermen—bringing it symbolically closer to the glamorous resort of Punta del Este, only 12 miles away. The 50,000-square-foot inn's design by M. Daglio & Associados pays homage to four concepts: an unusual natural setting, the traditional architecture of Uruguay's ranch houses, the country's contemporary artists, and the latest sustainable technologies, especially solar panels and a program of water conservation. It's a combination that invites guests "to experience all of Uruguayan culture, to understand the country as a whole with a stay here," principal Marcelo Daglio says.

The building is organized around four patios, each paired to a compass point. This being the southern hemisphere, the north patio receives the most sunlight, and this is where guests arrive. The reception area and guest rooms off this courtyard are shades of green inspired by agriculture. Patios to the east and west represent dawn and dusk, with the surrounding suites dominated by either yellow and orange or subdued earth tones. The south patio's rooms, with their palette of blues, represent the Atlantic. Asked to name one space that best embodies the welcoming communal atmosphere of estancias, Daglio points to the central living room, where the 3,200-square-foot ceiling is covered by a fresco. It's a representation of the region, derived from a Google Map.

Photography by Fabian Oliver.

FROM FRONT BRUNSWICK BILLIARDS: BILLIARD TABLE (LIVING ROOM). THROUGHOUT FEDERICO CORBO: ARCHITECT OF RECORD. RICARDO HOFSTADTER: LIGHTING CONSULTANT. IRENE ROSS: LANDSCAPING CONSULTANT. EDIFICA: MEP. ALVARO MÉNDEZ: CIVIL ENGINEER. MIGUEL CORBO: GENERAL CONTRACTOR.