Nacho Figueras's Polo Paradise

Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras is a name synonymous with elegance and tradition in the world of polo. Yet, beyond his celebrated career as a player and as the longtime face of Ralph Lauren, captain of the Black Watch Polo Team, Figueras has forged a parallel identity as a meticulous curator of space. His vision finds its ultimate expression at his estate in General Rodríguez, Argentina—a 45-minute journey from Buenos Aires—and most notably, in his iconic stables. This project, part of his private Black Watch Polo Club, redefines the relationship between the equestrian environment and avant-garde design.

For Figueras, design is not an accessory but the essential language of his life's project. As he has expressed in interviews with magazines like AD and Equinus, his goal was to create a space that was "more than a place for horses"; a sanctuary that reflects the animal's beauty, serenity, and nobility. Seamlessly integrated with the landscape, these concrete and wood stables are the home to some of the world's finest polo ponies. “Our horses are our art collection,” he states, equating the building itself to an art gallery and his 44 animals—which can sometimes be seen grazing on the rooftop—to priceless masterpieces.

Scale and Composition: A Dialogue of Volumes

Commissioned by the professional player and developed with Ramos Architects, the project is of a remarkable scale: a stable for 44 horses unfolds across a 12,000-square-meter property—which also houses his breeding ranch, Cría Yatay—with a total length of 180 meters. The structure, composed of two long volumes and interlocking freestanding walls, creates a rich, dynamic experience without imposing itself upon the land.

The genius of its spatial organization is evident on the ground floor, divided into two distinct sectors: a Social and Spectator Wing, deliberately oriented towards the polo field, and a Service and Privacy Wing, facing the rear of the property to discreetly house working facilities and staff quarters.

Architectural Inspiration and Environmental Integration

The design pays homage to three architectural icons: Mies van der Rohe, "for his straight lines"; Luis Barragán, whose influence is seen in the form and texture of the walls and the courtyard's reflecting pool; and Tadao Ando, from whom they borrowed the aesthetic interplay between light and concrete.

The relationship with the environment is one of profound respect. The volumes facing the polo field are partially concealed behind extensive walls and the land's natural slopes—a gesture of architectural humility that reduces visual impact and allows the discreet structure to almost blend into the background. Access to the complex is controlled and dramatic: only the center of the building is fully revealed, unveiling the social heart of the project—a large reflecting pool, outdoor terraces, and the main tack room.

A Dream Realized

Figueras purchased the property in 2005 and began construction in 2013, moving his prized animals in three years later. “Watching all 44 ponies enter their stalls was a huge moment, a dream come true,” recalls the Buenos Aires native. The number is not arbitrary; it follows the logic of the sport: four players per team, each with around ten horses and four in reserve.

While his favorite room may be the tack room, filled with saddles, bridles, boots, mallets, helmets, trophies, and books, what he truly cherishes is sitting on the landscaped deck with friends and a fine bottle of wine at sunset, after his exhausting world tours. “The staircase to get up here is almost a sculpture, and when you climb it, you forget about everything,” he confesses.

This project transcends mere functionality to become the crystallization of a personal aesthetic. It is a legacy of integrated design where architecture does not shout, but whispers, creating a perfect dialogue between luxury, sport, nature, and art. The home for his horses is, in essence, a masterpiece of rationalist architecture that rests serenely and majestically within the immensity of the Argentine plains—a testament that in the Pampas, vast and with a climate ideal for year-round play, polo and design can ride in perfect harmony.