In sunny Los Cabos, shade is a necessary amenity. So when designing Casa en Palmilla in Mexico City, the firm STUDIO Ignacio Urquiza Ana Paula de Alba created an architectural form that incorporates shade into the very DNA of the house.
Indeed: the pair of light L-shaped roofs give this project its exceptional character. With overhangs nearly seven feet deep, they cast generous shadows on the walls and around the perimeter of the 6,450-square-foot home that provide respite from the sun. Under this clay canopy, the four residential volumes of Casa en Palmilla are arranged in such a non-rectangular manner that courtyard in their center is a trapezoid and all benefit from cross ventilation.
This gravelled garden – with views of the mountains beyond – is outlined around the main areas of the house, providing privacy while filtering in sunlight. But only the main social area opens up completely to the outdoor paradise.
Each of the four volumes of the house has its own separate program. The first is the “service” volume, with the parking, storage, mechanical and laundry areas. The guest bedroom volume shares the same roof. “Within this,” the architects explain, “a free-standing wooden element — detached from the ceiling level — defines the guest bathroom and cloakroom, enhancing the sense of continuity and spatial openness.”
Under the second L-shaped roof, the third volume houses the master bedroom and wardrobes and study area. And the adjacent fourth volume, which includes living room, dining room and open kitchen, is the central social space that continues into the courtyard. By opening the 40-foot-long glass doors on both longitudinal facades, the tenants transform the space into a covered terrace connected on one side to the central courtyard and on the opposite to a swimming pool overlooking the San Jose Sea.
Inside, L-shaped ceiling levels overlap to striking effect, laminated oak ceiling beams create a bold interior geometry complemented by a soothing neutral palette. All the furniture was designed by Alejandra Usobiaga, who created highlights with the kitchen millwork and a sculptural concrete tower with a fireplace that demarcates the dining and living areas. It doesn’t get more peaceful than that.
To see this and other works by the company, visit estudioiuapda.com.
Photo by Ana Paula Alvarez.
