Casa Gallareta: a cluster of cabins immersed in a Patagonian forest, designed by OJA. Organic & Joyful Architecture

In the heart of Argentine Patagonia, nestled on the shores of Lake Correntoso and surrounded by a dense forest of coihues and arrayanes, stands Casa Gallareta: a cluster of cabins designed to blend seamlessly into the landscape. The project is the work of the young studio OJA. Organic & Joyful Architecture, founded by architects María Ayelén Olivieri Martínez and Juan Segundo Díaz Dopazo. It represents a harmonious fusion of architecture, nature and emotion.

Covering a total area of 250 sqm, the complex is composed of modular units designed to accommodate two to three people. Its layout follows a landscape logic rather than an urban one: the cabins appear to emerge spontaneously among the natural clearings in the vegetation, leaving the surroundings untouched. Each cabin sits in the forest like a silent presence, respectful of the rhythm and structure of the ecosystem.

The decision not to cut down any trees was the starting point for an architecture that seeks to coexist with nature, not dominate it. The cabins are placed in areas without tree cover, and their distribution—seemingly random but carefully planned—encourages an intimate relationship with the landscape.

Each unit is arranged on a mid-level platform, adapting to the terrain’s slope and multiplying the views. Large windows open fully to the forest, letting the low, dense canopy of the arrayán trees act as a natural filter, providing privacy between the different modules.

The interiors

Inside, the spaces are entirely clad in Guatambú wood—light, knot-free, almost luminous—creating a stark contrast with the dark exterior, treated using the ancestral Japanese technique of Shou Sugi Ban, which involves charring the eucalyptus surface to increase its resistance and longevity. This black envelope not only enhances weather protection but also heightens the chromatic contrast with the deep green of the forest and the bright white of winter snow.

The custom-made furniture, also crafted from Guatambú, reinforces the interior’s formal and material unity, generating spaces that are clean, restrained and almost monolithic. The result is an immersive, enveloping and deeply sensorial experience that enhances the essentials: silence, warmth, and the presence of the forest.

Completed in December 2023, the project has gained international recognition for its sensitivity and meticulous execution—achieved through demanding logistics and precise planning on challenging terrain. Today, Casa Gallareta stands as an example of how to inhabit nature without disturbing it.

Project: Casa Gallareta – Cabañas Paisajísticas de Lujo.
Studio: OJA. Organic & Joyful Architecture.
Location: Villa La Angostura, Patagonia, Argentina.
Area: 250 m².
Program: Alojamiento turístico (BnB).
Architects: María Ayelén Olivieri Martínez y Juan Segundo Díaz Dopazo.
Completion: Diciembre 2023.
Photography: Juan Segundo Díaz Dopazo, Rocío Sossa, Abril Roffo, Nacho Ballester.

OJA. Organic & Joyful Architecture

OJA. Organic & Joyful Architecture is a young Argentinian studio based in Patagonia, founded by architects María Ayelén Olivieri Martínez and Juan Segundo Díaz Dopazo. They met during their studies in Buenos Aires, but it was the return to the pristine southern landscapes that sparked a shared vision: to create an architecture deeply connected to nature, emotional and precise in equal measure.

Specialised in residential and hospitality projects, their work offers a reinterpretation of contemporary luxury through the lens of the essential: a deep sense of place, noble materials, constructive honesty and the silent beauty of well-crafted design.

From their small base in Villa La Angostura, OJA is beginning to carve out a promising path, with projects that combine environmental sensitivity, contemporary language and careful craftsmanship. Their architecture is young not only because of the age of its creators, but because of the vital energy, enthusiasm and freshness with which they view the world.

María Ayelén Olivieri Martínez. Architect (UBA) and tattoo artist. Born in Devoto, Buenos Aires. Holds a postgraduate degree in landscape architecture and several diplomas in landscaping. She participated in residential projects with Olivieri Construcciones, was part of the LAVA architects team in Sydney, and worked at Estudio Ripani in Buenos Aires before co-founding OJA.

Juan Segundo Díaz Dopazo. Architect (UBA), with postgraduate studies in Bioarchitecture (UTN) and a background in E-commerce. His studies and experience have given him a balanced set of skills to create and scale successful sustainable hospitality projects. Raised in Villa La Angostura, Patagonia Argentina. He worked with Arqad (Arq. Prof. Jaime Grinberg + Arq. Adriana Dwek) and Estudio Ripani before co-founding OJA.

Source: OJA. Organic & Joyful Architecture y V2com.

Project by OJA. Organic & Joyful Architecture