阿万达罗的房子丨墨西哥

Architects:ESTUDIO Ignacio Urquiza Ana Paula de Alba

Area:537m²

Year:2024

Photographs:ESTUDIO Ignacio Urquiza Ana Paula de Alba

Manufacturers:Allied Maker,Perch,Rituales Contemporáneos,Unknown (Removed)

Category:Houses

Architects And Lead Architects:Ana Paula de Alba, Ignacio Urquiza

Design Team:Anet Carmona, Ana Laura Ochoa, Valeria González, Miguel Ángel Vega

Technical Team:Adán Salazar

Landscape Architecture:Genfor Landscaping, Tania Eguiluz

Interior Design:Ana Paula de Alba

City:Valle de Bravo

Country:Mexico

Text description provided by the architects. In the forests of Avándaro, this house is located on a slope of dense vegetation and a steep topography that directs rainwater toward the adjacent stream.

Its orientation and the arrangement of the spaces that shape the house follow the direction of the terrain and the order of the ancient trees. In this way, the main facade faces north, opening the view toward the stream and allowing continuous light to enter. The central void is created by the different volumes and delineates an interior garden that respects the large pines and oaks on the property, while also warming the house with sunlight from the south.

Two types of spaces compose the project. The solid, closed volumes and the structure that connects three of them, generating the main enclosure of the proposal: the living room, a dynamic space, open on all sides with glass, to contemplate the surroundings and covered by a lightweight roof of reinforced concrete with steel beams.

The volumes function as the main structure of the house and house the private program of the dwelling, composed of enclosed areas, with windows and controlled views. The rooms are sheltered and designated for sleeping, cooking, or watching a movie with family.

There are four solid volumes. In one of them, there are two pairs of identical and mirrored bedrooms. Another is the TV room or family room, which can also function as an extra bedroom. In the third, there is the kitchen on the ground floor, a study on the intermediate level, and the master bedroom on the upper floor. In the fourth, independent from the others, the cistern and machine room, services, and parking were built.

The roof is supported by three of these four volumes, as well as by the main chimney, an element that represents the hearth and the center of the house. This also defines the common and public programs: living room and dining room, and a second living room or playroom for the children, transparent on all its walls and with direct connection to the garden and the family room.

In the living room and dining room, a floor-to-ceiling window, 9.6 meters long by 3.6 meters high, divided into four sliding windows, opens completely, causing the frames to disappear in one of the adjacent volumes, transforming the space into a covered outdoor terrace: one of the most used areas in this type of country house. This gesture allowed us to think of designing a single living and dining room as the main central space, avoiding the duplication of interior and exterior programs.

The base of the entire house is made of exposed concrete, which, in addition to being the foundation, separates the floor level from the ground and creates a thermal barrier that helps prevent moisture from entering. It also serves as the support for the brick walls, finished with polished plaster using local stucco.

The materiality in neutral tones creates a soft monochromatic palette, in which the greens of the surrounding vegetation stand out. The material palette does not distract from the environment, provides comfort, and allows us to focus on the forest, the vegetation, the rain, and the context.

In line with this, lightweight materials were used indoors. The textiles accompany and contrast with the smooth texture of the walls, and for the furniture, simple pieces with classic designs were selected that do not overwhelm or interrupt the sober language of the architecture, as well as not interfering with the landscape.

The balance between classic pieces and elements specifically designed for this project seeks at all times to meet a criterion of simplicity and neutrality that adds warmth to the appearance and touch.

The selection of solid materials consists of stained and natural oaks, black marbles, and enclosures. The palette includes textiles in natural wools, cashmeres that provide warmth, and linens of various densities and shades in a neutral range, as well as palm weavings whose techniques come from the local context.

The volumetric language of the furniture and decorative elements also represents basic geometries, reinforcing the elegance of the proposal by showing cleanliness and respect for these forms.

Finally, the decorative light fixtures are a discreet complement that achieves soft lighting atmospheres, all in line with the design and architectural intentions of the project.

In this way, the proposal is an exploration of the contrast between the habitable spaces of the house, its morphology, and its close relationship with the immediate context. Through their differences, each space is perceived and lived in a natural and fluid way.

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