LAS MANDARINAS is an outstanding country home outside Capitán Sarmiento, Province of Buenos Aires, built on 11 hectares (27.18 acres) of land, divided into two 5.5-hectare plots.
Location: just 1.5 kms (just under 1 mile) outside Capitán Sarmiento; 140 kms (about 87.5 miles) from Buenos Aires (reachable via National Route 8).
Total area: 11 hectares (two 5.5-hectare plots), or 110,000 sq.m.
The Main House was designed and built in 1979 by celebrated architect Clorindo Testa for a close friend. The house has 350 sq.m. (3,767 square feet), including a 70 sq.m. living room with a fireplace and 5.5 meter ceilings, one main bedroom with ensuite bathroom and a fireplace, plus 2 additional bedrooms and a family bathroom, and a custom kitchen.
The kitchen and some of the bathrooms boast ceramic tiles decorated by the architect's wife, Teresa Bortagaray.
The separate guest area includes 3 bedrooms with their own ensuite bathrooms.
There is a roofed entertainment area with a barbecue area, game room, and living area.
The pool area has its own designated bathroom, separate from the main house.
There is a 10x5 meter swimming pool with a roofed patio and built-in seating, a separate shower room, and artificial lighting for a night swim.
Football field with artificial lighting.
Tennis court.
Caretaker's home built in 2006 (65 sq.m. / 700 square feet), including a living / dining room, 2 bedrooms, 1 family bathroom, a veranda, gas heating.
Vegetable garden (300 sq.m. / 3,228 square feet) and greenhouse with trickle irrigation and a 2,500-liter water tank.
Two-room chicken coop, with a separate area for laying hens.
Working fruit plantation (1.5 hectares / 3.70 acres) boasting over 150 fruit trees of various kinds (oranges, tangerines, lemons, peaches).
Windmill and water well. The water is abundant and good quality.
Enclosed barn (150 sq.m. / 1,614 square feet), used as storage for machinery and tools.The exterior walls of the house have been recently repainted in red and forest green, the emblematic colors of the Book Museum located behind the National Library on Las Heras Avenue. The work was done in April and May 2024. The interiors are currently being repainted in order to bring the home back to its former glory. Current images show the home as it looked before the renovation. Sale of a corporation (100% shareholding), with all associated tax and financial benefits.
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Summary by Architect Federica Conte, PhD - La Sapienza University - Rome
\\\\"Las Mandarinas\\\\", a masterpiece built by Clorindo Testa and Héctor Lacarra, reflects a harmonious dialogue between architecture and nature on the Argentine Pampas. The house was built in 1977 using both state-of-the-art and traditional techniques, in an innovative reinterpretation of historical rural homes in the region. Influenced by Le Corbusier, the house captures natural light through geometric and arched windows. Clorindo's wife, Teresa Bortagaray de Testa, a ceramist, elevated the home's interior design with her artisanal mural decorations. Attention to detail is apparent in the pool and chill-out area. \\\\"Las Mandarinas\\\\" is a peaceful retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the city, where architecture and landscape come together and create a great place to unwind and get closer to nature.