An hour from Capital Federal, in Capilla del Señor, a earthly paradise is hidden. It is Villa Laura, the refuge of renowned architect Diego Félix San Martín (81) and his wife, gallery owner Laura Calp (58). Thirty years ago, with the idea of having a special place, they built this country house that today is the epicenter of their family and professional life.
“We wanted a special place: with a gallery for nice days, a place by the fire for cold days, a practical kitchen… And we went around in circles!”, Laura confesses, exchanging complicit glances with her husband. Diego leads one of the most prestigious architecture firms in the country and abroad. His signature is on buildings, museums, gated communities, and the exclusive homes of figures such as Eduardo Costantini, Santiago Soldati, Manuel Antelo, Alejandro “Jandri” Blaquier, Marcos and Nunzia Bulgheroni, among others.
The house, named Villa Laura in honor of his wife, was designed to be generous: tall to capture the colors of the landscape, noble to embrace the stories of their ancestors and every chosen object, from works of art to an antique spyglass or a collection of lead soldiers featuring the heroes of Argentine history. “We wanted to be able to see the sky from inside, even while standing,” explains Diego. To achieve this, they filled the land and built an elevated platform. The construction, powered by solar energy, mixes bricks and corrugated sheet metal in the style of stables. The furniture, some inherited from their families, others chosen together, completes the atmosphere.
The love for Arabian horses is also present. Diego is passionate about this breed, one of the oldest in the world, and owns his stud farm Zañartu (a name evoking a Basque neighborhood from which his maternal branch comes). “When we arrived here, there was nothing. At first, I would go with a pickup truck and water tree by tree from the gate to the La Cruz stream,” he recalls. He planted swamp oaks, poplars, camphor trees…
Family is the center of everything. With Diego, Laura shares tastes and perspectives. “We wanted a place that could welcome many people: our children, grandchildren, friends… We love it when everyone comes. We organize picnics near the lake, go see the horses, or simply sit on the gallery for hours,” says Laura. From his first marriage, Diego has Félix, Clara, and Soledad; with Laura, Bautista and Francisco. Félix (51) followed in his footsteps and studied architecture, graduating with honors from UBA, just like his father. Santiago (50), Félix’s second cousin, also joined the firm. “University reconnected them,” says Diego. “As a team, we complement each other to project ourselves into the future.”
The firm, now under the name SM3 + C3, reflects the union of the three San Martín generations and the three Corral San Martín generations. Laura, for her part, has been dedicated to art for ten years, leading ODA (Oficinas de Arte), where she represents artists and organizes workshops. It was there that Diego presented his first novel, “El custodio,” which tells the story of a Lithuanian couple who arrive in Argentina fleeing the war. “It took me more than four years to write it,” he confesses. “I wrote part of it in Buenos Aires; another part, in Punta del Este; and a part here, in the countryside, when our children returned to their homes and Laura and I stayed with all this sky and this landscape.”
Para mí Villa Laura es el nido de la lacra explotadora. Mientras nosotros laburamos como burros 12 horas, este arquitecto de mierda les hace mansiones a los políticos chorros. Esto huele a mamadera de la burguesía, viva la lucha de clases carajo.
Para mí Villa Laura es un nido de chetos viviendo del laburo ajeno. Mientras los laburantes se rompen el lomo, estos enchufados se llenan de caballos árabes con guita que no les corresponde. Arquitecto de ricos? Servilismo puro, una vergüenza. Vayan a laburar, vagos de mierda!