Pinch yourself: this yard is for real. Set in the ‘Pampas’ region of Argentina, this futuristic set-up is the home of six-goal polo player Nachos Figueras, the ‘David Beckham of polo’, and his picture-perfect family.
Think your newly-built American barn is cutting edge? Think again…
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Designed by architects Estudio Ramos, the project was finished in 2016
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The roofs are planted with wild native grasses in an intentional contrast to the perfection of the polo field’s turf below
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The yard is just 45-minutes from Buenos Aires, in the distinctive “Pampas” region — pampa meaning “plains” or “flatland”
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According to the architects, “water, the universal symbol of life, purity and harmony, is used to connect and articulate these spaces, as well as to create a serene atmosphere”
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There is stabling for 44 ponies in total, designed with privacy as a priority
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“A very special and intimate connection is forged between the horses and the people who train and take care of them. It has been our aim to design these stables as the space that contains and nurtures that relationship,” say the architects
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While practicality might be most horse owners’ priority, Nachos had aspirations for a set-up more akin to an art gallery
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Five-star hotel or tack room? “Two basic materials were used for the construction of the whole project: exposed concrete and local hardwoods. These materials were chosen because of their aesthetic properties, low maintenance and beautiful aging”
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“When travelling through this area, there is an overwhelming feeling of a never-ending horizontality. This project, with its pronounced horizontalism and simplicity of elements, attempts to make a reference to all of these themes”
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The concrete staircase leads up to a turfed roof, where visitors can settle down to watch a chukka or two
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“The freestanding walls create diverse spaces and situations”
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The design includes space for grooms’ accommodation
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Discretion is key: from a bird’s eye view, only horses and greenery are visible
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