Four Volumes Embedded in Nature, Organized beneath a Unified Roof
Estudio Ignacio Urquiza Ana Paula de Alba
Located in the lush forests of Avándaro near Valle de Bravo, Mexico, the house is set on a vegetated hillside. Rainwater flows down the slope and naturally drains toward a nearby stream, forming a natural drainage pattern through the terrain. The architecture responds to these site conditions and settles into the landscape. The layout and spatial organization follow the site‘s contours and the positions of existing mature trees. The main façade opens to the north, extending views toward the stream and bringing natural light into the interior. At the center between the interlocking volumes is a garden. This space preserves existing pines and oaks while receiving southern light and mediating between nature and architecture.
The building rests on an exposed concrete plinth, which functions as both structural base and moisture barrier. Brick walls rise above it, finished with locally sourced materials.
The house is composed of four independent volumes. The first contains two facing bedrooms. The second contains a shared family living room, which can be used as an additional bedroom when needed. The third volume is organized vertically, with a kitchen on the ground floor, a study on the second level, and a master bedroom on the third. The fourth volume is separated from the others and accommodates water tanks, mechanical rooms, service spaces, and parking.
Above the four volumes, a roof structure unifies three of them and defines the main living space below. This space is enclosed in glass and supported by steel beams and a lightweight concrete slab. The roof system is carried by three volumes and a central fireplace, which acts as a structural reference point. This system distinguishes public and private zones while connecting the living room, dining area, and children‘s play area into a continuous spatial sequence. The living and dining area features a 9.6-meter-wide and 3.6-meter-high glazed façade composed of four sliding panels. The façade can be fully opened, extending the interior into an outdoor terrace and allowing the boundary between inside and outside to shift.
The material palette is based on neutral monochrome tones, allowing the surrounding vegetation and forest to become the dominant presence. Interior finishes combine stained oak, natural oak, black marble, and volcanic stone with natural textiles such as wool, cashmere, and linen, as well as locally woven crafts. Furniture and objects follow restrained geometries and classical proportions. Lighting is designed as subtle indirect illumination, adding depth without disturbing the spatial atmosphere.
Project: Casa en Avándaro / Location: Valle de Bravo, Estado de México / Architect: ESTUDIO Ignacio Urquiza Ana Paula de Alba (Ana Paula de Alba, Ignacio Urquiza) / Project team: Michela Lostia di Santa Sofia, Anet Carmona, Ana Laura Ochoa / Adán Salazar, Valeria González, Miguel Ángel Vega / Landscape architect: Genfor Landscaping, Tania Eguiluz / Interior design: Ana Paula de Alba / Furniture design: Ana Paula de Alba, Rituales Contemporáneos, Perch, Allied Maker / Use: residencial / Gross floor area: 537m2 / Completion: 2024 / Photograph: ©Rafael Gamo (courtesy of the architect)
