La Solana del Mar Inn

In 1946, conceived as the stereotype plate of “sea and forest”, the Architect Antonio Bonet built the wonderfully modern structure SOLANA DEL MAR, in the privileged zone of Punta Ballena. A construction that is one of the architectonic relics of the East and whose structure was thought of a base of stone, wood and windows.

According to Bonet:

“… This building was built in the urbanization of Punta Ballena, the most ambitious that had been done in Uruguay up until then. Naturally, one of the most attractive places as the coast and, therefore, the first public building should be built there. It was one of the first I projected, profoundly pervaded with the topography of the place.

I found a sand bank between the sea and the forest and I thought I could use it as a basic element of the project. I put a big concrete flagstone on that even thought architectonically is unique, it gives two different levels due to the strong slope of the ground. There were three defined levels internally since, walking across the sand bank, you can access the garden roof were a play room was built, a dance floor and walls to stop the wind.

I took advantage of these walls to create a contradictory effect with the rationalism that was so pure back then. At the front, it can be well appreciated how the free plasticity of its curves contrast with the strength of the horizontal line of the crockery and the huge illumination post. There are two more things I was to remember of this work: The perfection in the execution of the concrete at sight and the stone walls. The stone was very important there because it introduced a strong amount of neoplasticism in the composition of the walls. By breaking the horizontality, they create an element of shade making each wall almost as an abstract composition. It’s that the stone, for me, has always been an important material, specially when I’ve been able to join nature and architecture.

This magnificent work raised in its moment, the admiration of those architects and students of architecture. It lies extended in front of the beach, allowing to enjoy from the inside the wonderful surrounding landscape. Taking advantage of the difference o height of the sand bank, Bonet locates in the higher part, the restaurant that is set in the balcony towards the double height sitting room. This area is widely opened to the sea, because in fact, it is a big crystal box. The materials he used were concrete, which had a hand made work to obtain a refined finish – grey granite stone, wood and glass. The service area, in two levels, spreads along the perpendicular wing until the end of the construction. In the front, it can be very well appreciated how the free plasticity of its curves contrast with the strength of the horizontal line of the crockery and the huge illumination post.