瓦莱住宅丨墨西哥丨DAFdf arquitectura Y urbanismo

Architects:DAFdf arquitectura Y urbanismo

Area:425m²

Manufacturers:Interceramic,Kolorines

Lead Architects:Gabriela Bojalil, Paul van der Voort

Category:Houses

Technical Team:Jassiel Cante, Israel Reyes, Pablo Moisés

Engineering And Consulting > Structural:Joaquín Gutiérrez Vega

General Construction:Jorge Cornish Álvarez

Engineering And Consulting > Mep:Juventino Mercado

City:Valle de Bravo

Country:Mexico

Text description provided by the architects. In the upper part of the town of Valle de Bravo, Casa Valle is built on a terrain with irregular topography and complex polygonal features. After a steep ascent, vertical planes of glass, steel, and wood emerge between pine trunks. Above them, a concrete platform projects in front of the tree canopies, hovering over a rocky slope with its vegetation.

Ascending the slope, access to the house is through a glass-walled foyer surrounded by rock gardens, succulents, herbs, and shrubs. Addressing the limitations of levels and height, the house develops according to the slope of the land, a gesture accentuated by the counter-inclination of the concrete ceiling.

The house is divided into two volumes with roofs of opposing slopes. In the more sheltered portion of the terrain, the four bedrooms are located, facing the pines and the backyard. The main volume, which houses the kitchen and living area, is situated on the expressive concrete platform. With subtle changes in level, the living room and dining area step down towards a wide balcony with an excellent view of the lake and valley.

The trapezoidal space of this volume is defined by a sequence of wooden and steel frames supporting a sloped roof. The main facade, oriented to the south, features a similar rhythm of wooden and steel posts, one longer than the other as the roof ascends. Here, one can observe the continuous changes of light and shadows projected as the sun passes, leaving a gentle dynamic of "painted" lines with watercolor on the neutral walls and floors of the interior. The facade is like a keyboard, while the interior space of the house is a resonating box for the silent compositions of light that play out throughout the day and the year. The house manages to capture the forest presence of the surroundings.

The staircase that traverses the levels is part of a double-height piece of furniture, composed of posts and shelves integrating into the overall structure; a lattice separates the more public areas from access to the bedrooms. Perpendicular to the orientation of the house, a smaller third element extends toward the landscape. Beneath this last mezzanine is the open kitchen with access to a stone terrace and cantilevered sink.

For the construction and finishes, local materials were utilized: tiles and pressed clay slabs, slate stone, beams, and wooden carpentry. Exposed concrete, plastered masonry, windows, and steel structure balance warmth and an artisanal feel. Colorful tiles and ceramics challenge the neutrality of the palette.

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