Photo: Cristobal Palma/ Estudio Palma
Most people find classic cars very appealing, and a wave of nostalgia hits them when they see a 70s muscle car. The same is valid for vintage boats. They are a reminder of a simpler time and carry a fascinating allure that is hard to replicate with more modern boats.
The challenge of restoring an old boat and seeing it coming back to life is certainly a rewarding experience. Chilean architect Guillermo Acuña, who is the principal of Guillermo Acuña Arquitectos Asociados, or GAAA for short, took on such a challenge. His project is called Kon-Tiki and is based on a damaged 1970s wooden boat that was purchased by his uncle, Fernando Acuña.
His aim for this restoration was to create a boat with a contemporary feel that still preserved some of its vintage features and could explore the Chiloe archipelago off the coast of Chile.
The 46-foot (14-meter) long Kon-Tiki boat was originally built at the beginning of the 1970s and was used for fishing and wood harvesting. It is a three-level boat with an open-air cabin and a small engine room.
GAAA, a studio that is known in the region for its wooden residential constructions built using local materials and techniques, completely took the old boat apart in order to restore the damaged wood ribbing and give the boat a new lease of life. The studio work alongside professional carpenters working in boat yards.
They not only restored the hull but also redesigned it with an all-wood cabin that has an ornamental overhang made from wooden slats and a decorative skylight. The team also expanded the deck space and gave the new construction a modernized layout, while striving to retain the classic feel of the wooden vessel.
In Guillermo Acuña’s own words, the old Chilean boat “carries the memory of the forests from where the long and straight wood of the keel was found, from where the frames shaping its hull came from.”
Kon-Tiki’s structure is built from cypress, while the finishes have been crafted from mañío colorado, a stained pine-tree wood that is used in the area. The boat’s wooden cabin, located above the deck, is spacious enough to house the primary control room and living spaces.
Near the stern, there is a seating area with a skylight that lets plenty of light in. The kitchen and the bathroom are in the middle of the cabin, while the main bedroom can be found close to the stern as well. For the interiors, the studio used stained pine wood with minimal detailing to highlight the natural approach.
The engine room is located belowdecks, along with two bedrooms and bathrooms.
Restored to its former glory, the Kon-Tiki boat sure looks like a great way to explore the local waterways.
His aim for this restoration was to create a boat with a contemporary feel that still preserved some of its vintage features and could explore the Chiloe archipelago off the coast of Chile.
The 46-foot (14-meter) long Kon-Tiki boat was originally built at the beginning of the 1970s and was used for fishing and wood harvesting. It is a three-level boat with an open-air cabin and a small engine room.
GAAA, a studio that is known in the region for its wooden residential constructions built using local materials and techniques, completely took the old boat apart in order to restore the damaged wood ribbing and give the boat a new lease of life. The studio work alongside professional carpenters working in boat yards.
They not only restored the hull but also redesigned it with an all-wood cabin that has an ornamental overhang made from wooden slats and a decorative skylight. The team also expanded the deck space and gave the new construction a modernized layout, while striving to retain the classic feel of the wooden vessel.
In Guillermo Acuña’s own words, the old Chilean boat “carries the memory of the forests from where the long and straight wood of the keel was found, from where the frames shaping its hull came from.”
Kon-Tiki’s structure is built from cypress, while the finishes have been crafted from mañío colorado, a stained pine-tree wood that is used in the area. The boat’s wooden cabin, located above the deck, is spacious enough to house the primary control room and living spaces.
Near the stern, there is a seating area with a skylight that lets plenty of light in. The kitchen and the bathroom are in the middle of the cabin, while the main bedroom can be found close to the stern as well. For the interiors, the studio used stained pine wood with minimal detailing to highlight the natural approach.
The engine room is located belowdecks, along with two bedrooms and bathrooms.
Restored to its former glory, the Kon-Tiki boat sure looks like a great way to explore the local waterways.
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