Arrancopelito's offspring: Rancho 2Pax

The beach facing sides

It's been over 3 years since we took possession of Arrancopelito, and frankly the house has proven to be incredibly livable and enjoyable. Can it be improved? Of course, but all the improvements we plan are somewhat frivolous, such as the "spa master suite;" or a third bedroom we don't need. So we can't quite bring ourselves to spend the money on such follies just yet.

This leaves us with a big problem, the absence of a building project. I threw myself into landscaping for a couple of years, but now that the garden is on its way to becoming established, that too seems to be coming to an end as far as it being a project.

The long window spans, from right to left, the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen

2011 being a particularly nasty year at home, it was decided that it was time for a project to lift our spirits and give us something forward-looking. So we summoned up Fabián, and in a few weeks hatched the current plan for the Rancho 2Pax, a single-bedroom beach shack with a combination of rustic looks and not-so-rustic features (the jacuzzi on the deck by the bedroom, a small but crisp kitchen, same with the bathroom, and really nice furnishings). That's the concept, and it can be replicated twice more if we want to in the future, as the siting and floor-plan comply with all zoning rules for multiple dwellings.

The lot, across the street and half a block closer to the beach than our home, has a very decent elevation which gives the shack(s) nice sea views on basically 180 degrees. We don't rule out renting them out for the occasional low season visitor, so the shack will have a wood-burning stove and windows facing the sun in every room.

There will be no lawn. A heresy in Uruguay, but how unromantic can it be to be awoken by a lawnmower or a weed-whacker? So the landscaping will have to achieve lushness and beauty in different ways. As much as the house planning has been exciting, the chance to come up with a different type of garden (here with the help of Isabella from Proverde) is the gift that will keep on giving for a while.