Dharq Arquitectos is a Chilean architecture studio that makes it into the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2026, our latest annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios
Who: Dharq Arquitectos
Patricio Huidobro founded Dharq Arquitectos in 2019. Based in Santiago, Chile, the practice looks to develop residential projects in rural areas where conventional urban services are absent.
‘Our practice sits between architectural design, construction, and research,’ explains Patricio Huidobro. ‘Many of our projects emerge from built prototypes or experimental structures that later inform residential work. This approach allows us to test ideas about structure, modularity, and environmental systems directly through construction.’
Many of the studio’s projects emerge from research on modular structures and essential forms of dwelling. Influenced by architectural and technological thinking, Dharq Arquitectos understands buildings as systems rather than isolated objects. Says Huidobro, ‘The exploration of lightweight structures, environmental systems, and minimal frameworks for living — developed by figures such as Buckminster Fuller or Reyner Banham — continues to inform how we think about architecture today.’
Dharq Arquitectos is motivated by the question of how architecture can enable habitation in territories where infrastructure is scarce or absent. The studio is interested in how minimalist structures can organise space and climate to support daily living.
Why: Architects Directory 2026
When the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory was conceived in 2000, it was built as our bespoke international index of emerging architectural talent. Now in its 25th edition, our annual listing of promising practices from across the globe (now comprising over 500 alumni) champions the best and most promising young studios - a snapshot of talent showcasing inspiring work from all corners of the Earth with an emphasis on the residential realm.
This year’s anniversary survey includes 30 young studios (one for each of the 30 years of Wallpaper*), from Australia, Bahrain, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Ecuador, Ghana, Greece, France, Ivory Coast, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, India, Morocco, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the USA, and Vietnam. Welcome to the promise, ideas and exciting architecture of the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2026.
Alongside designing residential homes, Huidobro has taught architectural design studios focused on housing at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile for the past thirteen years, while continuously researching themes of efficient infrastructure and autonomous habitation.
What: Sliding Doors House (Casa Corredera)
Chile’s Casablanca Valley is just 30 km from the Pacific Ocean, welcoming sea breezes and a refreshingly cool climate. Nestled in this coastal valley is Sliding Doors House, a single-family dwelling surrounded by pine forests and agricultural land.
Dharq Arquitectos explores the relationship between indoor and outdoor living through twenty-two sliding panels. These sliding doors help regulate light, ventilation, and privacy. The structure takes on a form similar to a pavilion. Its lightweight framework of timber floor framing and a galvanized steel roof structure is suspended on concrete piers, allowing it to be raised above its context.
When the panels are opened, the residence becomes an open space, fully immersed in the environment. Says Huidobro, ‘The architecture operates less as a fixed object and more as a climatic device capable of modulating transparency, air, and views throughout the day.’
