Terreno House in Mexico City, Mexico by Fernanda Canales

Article source: Fernanda Canales

The house is located on a mountain three hours away from Mexico City and addresses two apparently contradictory conditions: seclusion and aperture. First, it is a shelter that protects against the radical weather -where the temperature can vary up to 30 degrees Celsius in one day and rain is predominant during half of the year-, and second, it opens as much as possible to the surrounding landscape. Its walls act as membranes, across two temperate zones (forest and prairie), two seasons (dry and wet) and three spatial conditions (center, inside and outside).

Façade of the living and night areas to the east, Image Courtesy © Rafael Gamo

• Architects: Fernanda Canales
• Project: Terreno House
• Location: Mexico City, Mexico
• Photography: Rafael Gamo

Vaulted and flat roofs cover the house where the vaulted roofs create a new topography that coexists with the vegetation of the flat roofs, Image Courtesy © Rafael Gamo

The project develops around four “patios” or courtyards. The first patio, with a curved shape, acts as a transition space between the exterior  and the entrance; the second is located at the center of the project and acts as a transition space between public and private areas; the third leads to the terraces at the rooftop; and the fourth provides privacy, ventilations and sun to the service area. These four patios create different atmospheres within a vast landscape and frame specific views of the exterior. Each space is directly related to at least one patio on one side and to the open landscape on the other, allowing for cross-ventilation and sunlight during the whole day.

The broken brick walls surrounding the courtyards form different textures, Image Courtesy © Rafael Gamo

The broken brick walls surrounding the courtyards form different textures, Image Courtesy © Rafael Gamo

The house provides a dual condition reflected on the materials: brick on the outside, and concrete and wood on the inside. The red color and the rough texture of broken brick on the outside accentuate a completely different condition than the smooth and neutral interior. A series of vaults over the bedrooms and living room create a new topography in the exterior that coexists with the vegetation of the flat roofs that house service areas.

The project allows varied sequences and openings, sometimes through lattices that create privacy, sometimes through large windows that can open fully and hide inside the walls in order to transform interior spaces as open terraces, and sometimes through windows that frame particular views.

The entrance frames the sky while it transitions towards the inner courtyards, Image Courtesy © Rafael Gamo

The entrance frames the sky while it transitions towards the inner courtyards, Image Courtesy © Rafael Gamo

Vaulted and flat roofs cover the house where the vaulted roofs create a new topography that coexists with the vegetation of the flat roofs, Image Courtesy © Rafael Gamo

Located on relatively flat land amidst rough surroundings, Image Courtesy © Rafael Gamo

In the living areas, concrete and wood are displayed with their natural finish, Image Courtesy © Rafael Gamo

In the living areas, concrete and wood are displayed with their natural finish, Image Courtesy © Rafael Gamo

Image Courtesy © Fernanda Canales

Image Courtesy © Fernanda Canales

Image Courtesy © Fernanda Canales

Image Courtesy © Fernanda Canales

Image Courtesy © Fernanda Canales

Image Courtesy © Fernanda Canales

Image Courtesy © Fernanda Canales

Tags: Mexico, Mexico City

Categories: House, Residential

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