A chalet is a type of home.
Chalet is a term that has French origins and is accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) . According to the dictionary of this entity, it refers to the construction of at least one floor equipped with a garden and which is reserved for single-family accommodation . The word chalé is also accepted by the RAE .
The characteristics that a building must have to be considered a chalet, therefore, are the spaciousness of the home with an adjacent garden or patio. The chalet does not include, however, an interior patio between the rooms.
Origin of the chalet
The first chalets are said to have originated in Switzerland and other Alpine nations; although shortly after they were also established in other regions. These were wooden buildings with sloping roofs where the shepherds lived.
Typically, they and their families were located on the middle level, with livestock located in a developed stable on the ground floor and a granary or hayloft on the top floor. This arrangement changed with the passing of the seasons. In the summer, the cattle were driven to the alpine pastures, where the shepherds had some type of hut . By then, the lower floor of the chalet was free for other uses.
Today, chalets are considered those homes that are inspired by this Alpine design , even when they are in the city and do not have any use linked to livestock or agriculture .
Chalets emerged in Swiss territory.
Classification according to type
In the different regions, the structures of these buildings were diverse: not only the materials used were taken into account but also the frequency of rain and other climatic elements that could affect the stability of the construction.
Different types of chalets are known today, each derived from a particular region. Some of them are American, Anglo-Saxon, Norman, Anglo-Norman, Italian and Germanic style chalets , among others. It is worth mentioning that in each country, particular names are also known for them according to the region where they are established.
The material with which they are built also varies according to the type of chalet, it can be stone , masonry or wood.
A curious villa in Buenos Aires
It was a Valencian, whose name was Rafael Díaz , who was responsible for building a very particular building in the heart of Buenos Aires , a luxury that this man could afford at the end of the 19th century and that we can all still enjoy with our eyes.
It is a Norman-type chalet perched on top of a nine-story building that could be one of the most identifying signs of the city.
Díaz came to Buenos Aires in search of a better life and, after working for several years in a dependent relationship, he founded a furniture house with which he achieved great business successes; Thus he became the manager of the largest furniture store in all of Latin America , with its headquarters a few steps from where the Obelisk would later be erected .
As Díaz was passionate about chalets , mainly of the Norman style, he decided to build one on top of his store; Not only was it one of the first chalets built in a city , but it also became famous for being built on top of a tall building.
Currently, despite the numerous changes that the city has undergone , the chalet continues there, surviving the inclement weather, covered by numerous advertising posters that prevent it from seeing the city and even the coast of Uruguay (which on very sunny days could be seen ).