ZDA repurposes a 1937 residence for contemporary living
Designed by USA – Yuri Zagorin Alazraki, Casa Kiki is the renovation California style residence originally built in 1937 in Lomas de Chapultepec, Mexico City. Rather than treating the house as a preserved historic object or replacing it entirely, the project reshapes the existing structure through a contemporary spatial strategy that responds to climate, landscape and changing patterns of domestic life. The intervention preserves the original architectural character while reorganizing the program around natural light, thermal comfort and stronger connections between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Originally designed as a speculative housing development during the post-revolutionary expansion of Mexico City, the house followed a standardized domestic layout that prioritized city views over solar orientation. Its northeast-oriented main spaces resulted in cold interiors with limited daylight, while numerous doors and separate rooms created fragmented circulation and rigid living spaces. The renovation is based on the experiences of the previous owners, who lived in the house for more than five decades. Their observations about light, temperature and daily use informed a complete reorganization of the program. Social spaces were relocated to take advantage of southern and western sunlight, while bedrooms and private spaces were repositioned to improve thermal comfort and create closer relationships with gardens and patios. The resulting arrangement creates a more continuous sequence of spaces and a clearer relationship between the different functions of the house, where it is bright pink interior spaces provide a distinct visual identity.
The intervention also begins on an urban scale. The existing perimeter wall was retained, while a new pedestrian entrance introduces an exposed concrete frame containing a rotating black steel door. Vegetation softens the boundaries and timber lining creates a semi-permeable facade which balances privacy with selective views towards the renovated home.
a new entrance frames the transition between the street and the renovated residence | image by Ana Paula Álvarez
A pink spiral staircase redefines the central volume of Casa Kiki
In the center of the house, the original turret becomes the defining architectural element of the project. Once modified during a 1970 renovation that removed the double-height volume, the space has been restored to its original proportions and transformed into a vestibule, library and circulation hub. A pink-painted steel spiral staircase wraps around the built-in shelves, organizing movement between floors while creating a distinct architectural identity within the otherwise restrained material palette. Above, a glazed skylight introduces daylight into the double-height volume, while a myrtle rises through a circular opening in the floor, bringing vegetation to the center of the house and enhancing the relationship between architecture and landscape. The turret connects directly to the adjacent study through an arched opening, creating uninterrupted visual continuity. Designed as a versatile workspace, the room combines reclaimed timber, black steel shelving, wood paneled walls and mirror details that extend light throughout the interior.
Throughout the project, developed by Studio ZDA – Yuri Zagorin Alazraki, patios and gardens are treated as extensions of the interior rather than residual exterior spaces. Stone paths, mature trees and planted courtyards create a series of outdoor rooms that accompany movement into the house and provide natural ventilation and changing daylight conditions. The kitchen occupies the former living room, making it the primary social space of the house. A central island organizes circulation, while hidden cabinets, oak shelves and a suspended hood in polished steel define the room through built-in architectural elements rather than decorative elements. The living room, added as an extension of the original L-shaped floor plan, opens to both the south-west garden and a smaller entrance courtyard. Large openings dissolve the boundaries between indoors and outdoors, allowing vegetation to become part of everyday domestic life. The interior furniture combines modern pieces with bespoke furniture and works by Mexican designers and artists, enhancing the dialogue between architecture, art and everyday use.
the vegetation creates a balance between privacy and openness to the facade | image by Rafael Gamo
Material continuity and environmental performance
Material choices emphasize durability and tactile consistency. Oak window frames, engineered wood floors, natural stone and understated finishes create continuity throughout the renovated interiors, while marble defines the master bathroom. Upstairs, terraces extend each bedroom into the surrounding landscape, including a private outdoor swimming area integrated into the planting. Environmental performance was incorporated throughout the renovation without altering the character of the house. The project incorporates rainwater collection and treatment systems, solar panels, hydronic radiant floor heating, cross ventilation, improved thermal insulation, high performance glazing and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The existing brick walls were retained to provide thermal mass, while reclaimed timber was reused throughout the exterior spaces. Rather than replacing the existing home, Casa Kiki demonstrates how careful spatial remodeling, environmental upgrades, and reuse of original architectural elements can extend the life of a historic home by adapting it to modern domestic life.
the renovation preserves the original character while adapting to modern living | image by Rafael Gamo
the restored turret becomes the central architectural element of the house | image by Rafael Gamo
a pink steel spiral staircase turns the turret into a vertical traffic hub | image by Rafael Gamo
