Material Honesty and Structural Innovation
At MEDIOMUNDO, Marta Pelegrín and Fernando Pérez conceive architecture as a process of research, learning, and open dialogue with both international and local references. Recently, together with students and professors from the University of Frankfurt, we had the opportunity to revisit the Dieste House in Punta Gorda, Montevideo—an essential work by engineer and architect Eladio Dieste, designed and built for his own family between 1961 and 1963.
The house stands out for the richness of its spatial sequences and constructive simplicity, where each transition between interior and exterior is carefully orchestrated. The spatial empathy is evident in the immediacy of the materials and the sincerity with which the structural innovations are displayed: the exposed edges of the brick vaults are shown without artifice, revealing Dieste’s technical mastery and sensitivity.
We are especially grateful to architects Esteban Dieste and Daniel Christoff for their generosity and guidance during the visit, which allowed us to deepen our understanding of a work that continues to inspire new ways of inhabiting and designing, rooted in material honesty and innovation.
