House 720 Degrees by Fernanda Canales stands in a secluded valley three hours from Mexico City. The project approaches dwelling as a calibrated relationship within the landscape as the design takes form as a geometric and optical device which extends a 360-degree span into a doubled circuit.

From a central patio, the house establishes a continuous exchange between interior and exterior conditions. It works like a solar clock, tracking time through ever-shifting sunlight and shadow. The home frames distant mountains and a volcano during the day and turns its attention inward after sunset around a circular courtyard. This dual orientation gives the house multiple identities across a single day.

image © Rafael Gamo

a dwelling in three parts 

With her House 720 Degrees, architect Fernanda Canales brings together three distinct volumes that respond to the site’s pronounced topography. A main circular house anchors the composition, accompanied by a detached studio or guest room and a rectangular block organized around its own patio. This separation preserves existing vegetation and allows each volume to settle into the land with minimal disturbance.

Designed for two families, the complex supports shared use while maintaining autonomy. Spaces for guests sit slightly apart, connected by exterior paths that follow the slope. Movement between volumes becomes an outdoor experience which reinforces awareness of the weather and the earth.

image © Camila Cossio

inside the circular ‘house 720 degrees’

House 720 Degrees spans two levels, with living spaces on the ground and an open roof terrace above. The circular plan fits rectangular bedrooms, bathrooms, closets, and the kitchen, while curved walls remain free for circulation. These arcs extend outward as terraces toward the courtyard and as gardens along the exterior edge.

Large fold-away windows, privacy screens, and framed views allow breezy rooms to extend outward toward the scenic site. This way, interior spaces maintain direct contact with the environment, easily adjusting to the season and time of day.

image © Camila Cossio

Set within a valley marked by intense temperature swings and long rainy seasons, the house balances shelter with exposure. Thick walls act as membranes between forest and prairie, dry and wet periods, and spatial conditions that move from center to interior to open air. With this layered approach, the architect moderates climate while preserving a strong connection to the surrounding landscape.

Materials are sourced directly from the site. Local soil mixed with concrete gives the walls a finish that reflects the color and texture of the land. A low, single-level profile allows the building to settle into the earth. Lamps and furniture produced on-site draw on regional craft.

image © Rafael Gamo

House 720 Degrees operates off-grid, harvesting rainwater and generating electricity through solar panels. The same system heats water throughout the house, while hydronic radiant floors serve the bedrooms. Cross-ventilation reaches every room, with openings oriented toward multiple directions to support airflow and comfort.

Durability guided material choices, supporting straightforward and economical upkeep. Surfaces withstand weather without paint or applied cladding, allowing the structure to age alongside its surroundings. As seasons pass, subtle shifts in color and texture register time, reinforcing the house as an active participant in its environment rather than a fixed object.

image © Rafael Gamo

image © Rafael Gamo

image © Rafael Gamo

image © Camila Cossio

project info:

name: House 720 Degrees

architect: Fernanda Canales | @fernandacanales_arquitectura

location: La Reserva Peñitas, Valle de Bravo, Mexico

area: 1,115 square meters (12,000 square feet)

completion: 2024

photography: © Rafael Gamo | @rafaelgamo © Camila Cossio | @_camilacossio

architect of record: Fernanda Canales
team: Aarón Jassiel, Alberto García Valladares, Ángela Vizcarra
interior design: Camilla Pallares

structural engineer: Gerson Huerta – Grupo Sai
sanitary, electrical installations: Carlos Medina – Grupo MEB
carpentry: Óscar Nieto 
lighting: Lucas Salas
general contractor: Felipe Nieto

The post this off-grid house encircles ‘720 degrees’ to frame views of valle de bravo, mexico appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Casa Ailes is a residential project by Jaime Guzmán Creative Group, located in an exclusive gated community in Mexico City. Conceived as a refuge, its proposal stems from the idea of developing a blind facade as an expressive element, defined by six extruded concrete volumes that protrude and shape playful spaces from the void created within. Its design responds to the immediate context with a dual strategy: a hermetic facade facing the street that ensures privacy, and a controlled openness toward the garden and city views. As a result, the architectural composition is characterized by the contrast between solidity and lightness, both in the spatial distribution and in the application of materials. At the main entrance, a reflecting pool frames the access and mirrors the concrete volumetry, creating a visual effect that accentuates the geometry.

all images by Rafael Gamo

Central Patio and Vertical Circulation Organize interior layout

The design process of Jaime Guzmán Creative Group begins with a methodological analysis of the client’s activities and needs, allowing the development of creative and specific solutions for each project. In the case of Ailes, the clients requested open, interconnected social spaces, as well as a gathering area completely independent from the private zones, where their teenage daughters could meet freely. To address this need, a basement was designed to house a speakeasy with direct street access, allowing guests to enter independently without interfering with family dynamics. This level also includes a large parking area and service spaces, whose distribution responds to the structure of the upper floors. Upon entering the ground floor, one arrives at a vestibule covered by smoked-glass bridges that connect the upper levels and reinforce a sense of vertical spaciousness. The horizontal connection follows a similar principle, with a series of social spaces intertwined around a central patio that acts as the organizing axis of the house, ensuring a balanced distribution of natural light and cross-ventilation. In this patio, which is positioned half a level above the living room, a vertical concrete block houses an elevator, integrated into the design to guarantee that the parents, now in their fifties, can comfortably inhabit the home for years to come. A corridor connects the entrance to the garden through subtle level changes, articulating the ground floor with vertical circulations and distributing access to the office, family room, living area, and kitchen. Wide-opening glazing dissolves the boundaries between indoors and outdoors, constantly integrating the social areas with the open-air space. The living room relates both to the central patio and the main terrace, the latter open to the garden and sheltered from Mexico City’s climate by a large concrete cantilever.

On the upper level, this element houses the master bedroom and is resolved with concrete wall-beams, a structural solution that ensures stability and formal continuity. The landscaping is carefully integrated, with vegetation framing access points and terraces, providing natural shade, improving air quality, and generating a sense of respite within the city. Access to the second floor is through a solid block of stairs clad in marble on both floor and ceiling, leading to the glass bridges supported by a steel structure. At the northwest end, the younger daughter’s room takes advantage of the extruded volume of the main facade to integrate storage spaces, bookshelves, and resting areas, while at the southwest end, the master bedroom opens onto the garden, featuring a large walk-in closet and a bathroom that allows exterior views from a ceramic bathtub. This level also includes a laundry room for the management of linens and clothing, optimizing household operations. The third floor functions as an independent apartment within the house, providing the eldest daughter with the degree of autonomy her parents envisioned. It is accessed via a staircase that, as it rises, brings in natural light and frames the western cityscape. The eldest daughter’s room is located on the main facade, while on the opposite end is the main family room, with access to a terrace surrounded by vegetation that offers a panoramic view. This space incorporates a steel lattice with a folding screen system, designed to flexibly modulate privacy, light, and temperature. Its mechanism allows it to be fully opened or closed, adapting to the desired interior atmosphere. The materials used in the project emphasize the contrasts of the architectural concept through a sober and timeless palette that conveys balance, modernity, luxury, and comfort.

Casa Ailes is a private residence designed by Jaime Guzmán Creative Group in Mexico City

Jaime Guzmán’s Holistic Approach to Material and Comfort

Exposed concrete dominates Casa Ailes, providing a rough yet expressive texture with a uniform tone in both interiors and exteriors, one of the project’s main challenges. This cold material contrasts with the warmth of wood applied to floors and ceilings, creating a homely feel. Steel forms part of the structural system and is integrated into interior details, contributing solidity while also imparting a sense of lightness and precision in visible elements. The interior design, led by Mariana Rivera, complements the architecture with a precise selection of furniture and art. Pieces by Mexican and Italian designers were incorporated, achieving a coherent chromatic and material balance. A central piece stands out in the living room: a Japanese kimono intervened with gold paint on a lead canvas by artist Mayte Guzmán. Beyond its artistic value, this work reinforces the zen and wabi-sabi influence in the home’s aesthetic.

Jaime Guzmán Creative Group’s Casa Ailes integrates advanced systems of energy efficiency and sustainability. Hydronic heating ensures an optimal indoor climate without drying the environment, while a smart home system allows lighting and entertainment to be controlled from mobile devices, simplifying the management of comfort. The residence also includes a rainwater harvesting system for reuse in reflecting pools, irrigation, and car washing, along with solar panels that help reduce electricity consumption, moving the house closer to energy self-sufficiency. These systems improve the home’s energy performance and reflect both the clients’ and the studio’s commitment to sustainability and environmental respect. Casa Ailes is a testament to the holistic design approach of Jaime Guzmán Creative Group, resulting in a work that transcends its residential function. The quality of its spaces, the meticulous attention to material transitions, and its profound connection to the lifestyle of its inhabitants make this residence a carefully executed architectural work, one that reflects a design philosophy valuing harmony with the environment and the well-being of its users.

the street-facing facade is defined by six extruded concrete volumes forming a blind exterior

solid concrete elements shape interior voids and create varied spatial conditions

a hermetic street facade contrasts with controlled openness toward the garden

the house is organized around a central patio that distributes light and ventilation

social spaces unfold continuously around the interior courtyard

smoked-glass bridges connect upper levels and emphasize vertical openness

marble-clad stairs lead to steel-supported glass bridges on the upper floors

exposed concrete is used consistently across interior and exterior surfaces

wood accents soften the concrete-dominated material palette

bedrooms incorporate storage and seating within the extruded facade volumes

concrete, wood, and steel emphasize the brutalist character of the residence

project info:

name: Casa Ailes
architect: Jaime Guzmán Creative Group | @arq.jaimeguzman

location: Mexico City, Mexico

photographer: Rafael Gamo | @rafael_gamo

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Habitario by Brenda Isabel Pérez is an art and research project presented in the format of a board game that examines domestic space in Mexico through narrative construction and spatial speculation. The project defines habitarios as both physical and symbolic environments in which everyday life unfolds, social relationships are formed, and collective memory is shaped. Within this framework, domestic space is treated as a site for rethinking existing structures and imagining alternative spatial models. Developed with the support of the Jóvenes Creadores grant (formerly FONCA), Habitario forms part of U/Topías domésticas, the project awarded the 2024 Jóvenes Creadores grant in the Architecture category. The work operates at the intersection of research, narrative, and material assembly, translating literary and social analysis into a participatory spatial system.

The game draws on four short stories written by Mexican women authors, Inés Arredondo, Amparo Dávila, Elena Garro, and Gabriela Damián Miravete, whose writing addresses domestic interiors as spaces shaped by care, control, and gendered expectations. Rather than directly illustrating these narratives, Habitario abstracts their themes into a set of spatial and narrative prompts. Players construct speculative houses using wooden components, acrylic figures representing characters, and action cards derived from scenes of domestic life.

Each participant begins by drawing a character defined through recognizable domestic roles, such as daughter, mother, or guest. These archetypes establish initial relationships to space without requiring prior knowledge of the literary sources. Gameplay unfolds through the gradual placement of components and the interpretation of narrative fragments, resulting in a collectively assembled domestic environment. Sessions conclude either when all cards are drawn or when a spatial configuration is completed, producing different outcomes each time.

game table and table set | all images by Amy Bello unless stated otherwise

women’s reflection on memory, trauma, and domestic labor

Designer Brenda Isabel Pérez’s literary references underpinning the project include La sunamita, El anillo, El huésped, and Espanto del mundo nuevo. Research for the project extended beyond the texts themselves to include the authors’ biographical and geographic contexts, examining the houses they inhabited, regional climates, and social conditions that informed their writing. This research shaped both the character archetypes and the conceptual framework of the game, which also draws on Marcela Lagarde’s Los cautiverios de las mujeres, a study of social structures that restrict women through prescribed domestic roles.

The speculative houses generated through Habitario operate as a living methodology. Using wooden components and acrylic figures, participants without architectural training assemble complex spatial configurations that prompt reflection on domestic memory and spatial practice. The process raises questions about past living environments, such as the presence of courtyards, circulation patterns, and spaces for domestic labor, as well as potential transformations, omissions, or removals. It also opens broader inquiries into alternative forms of living that emerge when housing is no longer structured around the traditional family model, and how domestic space might be reorganized to support different modes of use and care. As gameplay progresses, participants construct imagined domestic elements, including an always-open zaguán, a plant-filled corridor for hiding, or a window made for shouting, in a way to rework the traumatic experiences of characters such as Guadalupe or Luisa, women constrained by reproductive and domestic expectations in the twentieth century, whose conditions remain painfully current.

Habitario positions architecture as an affective and social practice, emphasizing how spatial organization influences labor, intimacy, and collective life. The project avoids predetermined narratives, instead offering open-ended configurations that allow each session to operate as an independent exploration of domestic space and its possibilities. Habitario is currently exhibited at Centro Cultural San Roque, where it will remain on view until March 22, 2026.

resulting houses, instructions and postcards

Habitario activation

play as a tool for imagination and resilience

game table and board game

folding instructions | image by Paulina Ojeda

resulting houses, instructions and postcards

character cards | image by Julieta Catalan

characters and vegetation | image by Julieta Catalán

spatial variants | image by Julieta Catalán

the artist, Brenda Isabel Pérez, and her table board game | image by Paulina Ojeda

project info:

name: Habitario
designer: Brenda Isabel Pérez

collaborators:
Marcos Popotla, Montserrat Quintanar, Julieta Catalán, Carpintería Samuraí

photographers: Amy Bello, Julieta Catalán, Paulina Ojeda

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post habitario board game challenges domestic models in mexico through women’s narratives appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Positioned on a slight incline in the desert landscape of Todos Santos, Mexico, Casa Nada is a three-bedroom residence constructed from concrete and blockwork. The home is arranged around a pass-through floor plan that enables continuous movement of people, air, and shadows, maintaining a strong connection to the surrounding environment.

all images courtesy of Casa Nada (Greg Armas, Gabriela M.)

louvered white panel exterior defines Casa Nada

The structure is oriented toward the Pacific coastline in response to sun position and prevailing winds. Along the primary elevation, a facade composed of nineteen louvered white doors regulates airflow by redirecting consistent ocean breezes to stabilize interior temperatures. Geometric volumes and a uniform exterior of louvered panels define the building’s minimalist character. Casa Nada was designed by its owners, both clothing designers, as their first project in residential construction.

Casa Nada sits on a slight incline overlooking the Todos Santos desert

the residence is constructed from concrete and blockwork

geometric forms define the building’s overall massing

the design maintains a continuous connection to the surrounding landscape

nineteen louvered white doors form the main exterior facade

circulation of people, air, and shadows moves freely through the interior

the louvers redirect ocean breezes into the interior

light and shadow play actively within the pass-through floor plan

Casa Nada reflects a restrained architectural language

project info:

name: Casa Nada | @casa_nada_
designers: Greg Armas, Gabriela M.

location: Todos Santos, Mexico

area: 185.80 sqm

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post white louvers craft perforated facade filtering daylight within casa nada’s interiors in mexico appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

For Sutura, studios Sulkin Askenazi and Alterego apply a single material strategy to reframe the spatial and functional identity of a gym environment. The project introduces denim as a continuous surface treatment, covering all equipment and architectural elements in a uniform indigo textile. Through this intervention, the gym is reinterpreted as a spatial installation rather than a conventional fitness interior.

The use of denim draws on its cultural and material associations while repositioning it within an unexpected program. By enveloping machines, pads, and structural components, the design transforms standard workout equipment into a cohesive sculptural landscape. The space, located in Mexico City, operates at the intersection of utility and visual composition, merging daily exercise routines with a heightened awareness of form, texture, and movement.

all images by Ricardo de la Concha

Monochrome textile Interior Reinterprets the Gym Environment

References to the work of James Turrell, Harry Nuriev, and Glenn Martens inform the project’s approach to color, surface, and spatial perception. Light interacts with the monochromatic textile in a way that emphasizes volume and silhouette, allowing the gym to function simultaneously as an environment for physical activity and as a controlled visual field.

Within this setting, repetition and movement are framed as part of the spatial experience. The design, developed by the collaborative team between architectural practice Sulkin Askenazi and interior design studio Alterego, integrates bodily motion into its conceptual structure, positioning exercise as a sequence of interactions with a continuous textile environment. Sutura – Design House 2025, therefore, presents a reinterpretation of the gym typology, where material consistency, sculptural treatment, and programmed activity operate as a unified architectural statement.

denim wraps every surface, redefining the gym as a single-material environment

indigo textile covers equipment and architecture in a continuous field

the gym interior is reinterpreted as a spatial installation rather than a functional room

a uniform denim treatment transforms workout machines into sculptural forms

the design shifts denim from its cultural context into an unexpected program

the gym features Sutura’s identity graphic detail on the mirror

the space blends utility with a strong emphasis on form and texture

pads, frames, and structures merge into a cohesive textile landscape

denim unifies Sutura gym into a controlled visual composition

project info:

name: Sutura
architect: Sulkin Askenazi | @sulkinaskenazi

lead designers: Gabriel Askenazi, Jack Sulkin

interior design: Alterego | @alterego_mexico

lighting design: Bandido Studio

location: Mexico City, Mexico

area: 45 sqm

photographer: Ricardo de la Concha | @ricardodelaconcha

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post denim wraps workout equipment within sutura sculptural gym in mexico appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Located in Cabo del Este, Baja California Sur, Mexico, Casa del Este by JVL Architects is a fully off-grid residence designed for a North American family. The project combines rammed earth, concrete, and oak to create a durable and context-responsive dwelling that aligns with the region’s arid climate and natural landscape.

Designed as both a retreat and a permanent residence, the house accommodates up to twelve occupants across a main volume and an independent guest casita. The program includes three en-suite bedrooms, social areas, a shaded terrace, a pool and jacuzzi, outdoor cooking and dining spaces, and a three-car garage. The spatial organization prioritizes sea views and wind protection, while ensuring safe and accessible areas for children. Access is defined by a blind wall that preserves privacy and frames a gradual approach to the main entrance through rammed-earth walls and a brick threshold. A central courtyard forms the heart of the house, referencing traditional Mexican architecture. Surrounded by a concrete pergola, the courtyard allows filtered light and natural ventilation while maintaining openness during hurricane season. A torote tree occupies the center, enclosed by endemic vegetation and an earthen floor that reinforces the building’s material identity.

From the courtyard, a sequence of interior and exterior spaces opens toward the terrace, infinity pool, and the Pacific Ocean, located 40 meters away. The social spaces connect directly to the exterior, creating a visual and spatial continuity from the interior to the sea. Bedrooms are arranged to preserve direct views and privacy, with two on each level. The guest casita sits apart, opening onto a private courtyard enclosed by rammed-earth walls. The terrace integrates key outdoor amenities, including a barbecue and bar, firepit, pool, and jacuzzi. A concrete staircase, finished in polished cement and fine sand, extends toward the beach, completing the spatial progression from the house to the shoreline.

all images by César Bejar

Casa del Este Integrates Material Honesty and Structural Clarity

The material palette combines rammed earth, exposed concrete, clay, marble, and oak. Concrete surfaces retain visible formwork textures, producing a horizontal grain that complements the earth walls’ tactile character. The interior design by Mariana Cabrera maintains visual consistency through custom-made furniture, textiles, and finishes emphasizing texture, durability, and material coherence. Sustainability and autonomy are central to the project. Casa del Este operates entirely off-grid through a solar power system. Water is delivered by tanker and treated on-site through a three-tank filtration and storage system, supplying both domestic and irrigation needs. Native plant species, such as agave, ocotillo, torote, and cardón, were selected for the landscape to minimize water use and integrate the building into its environment.

Structurally, the house was designed to maintain the visual continuity of its rammed-earth walls. Columns are integrated within the wall thickness wherever possible to preserve material consistency and avoid visual interruption. At the double-height social area, two 10.5-meter-long window axes open toward the courtyard and terrace, supported by discreet 50×50 cm columns aligned with the architectural grid. The reinforcement structure was modeled in 3D to ensure precision and clarity between concept and construction.

Casa del Este reflects studio JVL Architects’ continued focus on site-specific design and material expression. The project establishes a dialogue between vernacular techniques and modern construction, using rammed earth not only as structure and enclosure but as a means to connect architecture with landscape and climate.

Casa del Este by JVL Architects is located on the coast of Cabo del Este, Baja California Sur

rammed earth, concrete, and oak define the project’s material palette

a central courtyard organizes the home, referencing traditional Mexican architecture

the residence is built entirely off-grid, powered by a solar energy system

the house was designed to respond to the region’s arid climate and coastal landscape

the sequence of spaces connects the courtyard, terrace, pool, and ocean beyond

the water system filters and recycles resources for domestic and irrigation use

the house was designed to respond to the region’s arid climate and coastal landscape

bedrooms are oriented toward the sea, ensuring uninterrupted coastal views

the guest casita opens onto a private courtyard enclosed by rammed-earth walls

the material palette combines rammed earth, exposed concrete, clay, marble, and oak

the interior features custom furniture and natural textiles

project info:

name: Casa del Este

architects: JVL Arquitectos | @jvlarq

location: Baja California, Mexico

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post rammed-earth residence unfolds around central planted courtyard on mexico’s coast appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Casa San Francisco by Jorge Garibay Architects stands within a vineyard on the outskirts of San Miguel de Allende, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. Conceived as a vacation home, the project draws its character from the world of winemaking and the slow transformations that occur over time.

The design reflects on San Miguel’s origins — founded in the 16th century when Franciscan friars introduced grape cultivation to Mexico — and acknowledges how imported traditions were adapted to a new environment.

Architecture and viticulture, both brought across the Atlantic, evolved differently once exposed to the local soil, light, and climate. Casa San Francisco continues that dialogue by translating the contemplative spatial order of conventual architecture into a contemporary domestic setting.

images © César Belio

Jorge Garibay’s architecture of five volumes

The team at Jorge Garibay Architects organizes its Casa San Francisco around a central corridor that runs laterally through five distinct volumes. Each volume opens onto a landscaped area, allowing uninterrupted views of the surrounding vineyard and hills. Entry occurs through a double-height vestibule that filters the transition from exterior to interior, emphasizing the progression from the openness of the landscape to the intimacy of the home.

The western side houses the communal spaces — the living room, dining room, kitchen, terrace, garage, and service areas — while the eastern wing is reserved for four bedrooms. This clear separation of uses gives the plan a sense of measured rhythm, echoing the linear geometry of vineyard rows. Movement through the corridor reveals a series of framed perspectives, each calibrated to the shifting daylight and seasonal growth beyond.

Casa San Francisco sits among vineyards near San Miguel de Allende

inside the monochromatic casa san francisco

Jorge Garibay approached materiality as a means to express the passage of time and the endurance of local craft. The construction employs stone sourced from a nearby quarry, unpolished Mexican marble underfoot, and lime-based paint applied by hand to achieve subtle tonal variations. Together, these materials form monochromatic surfaces that anchor the building to its terrain and emphasize the play of light across textured planes.

The simplicity of the palette underscores a disciplined restraint. Oak furniture complements the architecture’s tactile honesty, and the lighting design references the soft glow found in 16th-century convents. Rather than reproducing historic effects, the lighting recreates the warmth and quietude of those spaces within a modern framework.

Jorge Garibay Architects designed the house as a meditation on time

the project connects architecture to the slow rhythm of winemaking

five stone volumes are linked by a corridor aligned with the landscape

public and private spaces are arranged to frame views of the vineyard

local stone and hand-applied lime finish give depth to the walls

oak furniture and warm lighting create a calm interior balance

project info:

project title: Casa San Francisco

architect: Jorge Garibay Architects | @arqjorgegaribay

location: San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico

photography: © César Belio | @cesarbelio

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La Pedrera by Taller Ezequiel Aguilar Martínez is the clubhouse of the Cola de Lagarto development, located on the outskirts of Atlixco, Puebla, about two hours from Mexico City. The project is set within the Tentzo mountain range, a semi-desert landscape primarily featuring acacias, yuccas, and wild grasses. The design occupies a hill within the development, offering panoramic views of the golf courses, Atlixco valley, and the majestic Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes. This privileged setting shapes the project’s circular layout, which opens the building to its surroundings while housing activities such as a restaurant, leisure rooms, restrooms, and general amenities. Conceptually, the project is organized through a series of concentric skins arranged around a central space that features a reflecting pool. The project’s materials palette includes stone, wood, and concrete elements.

all images by Amy Bello

La Pedrera’s Layered Circular Design Integrates Stone and Wood

The exterior ring, made of curved, locally sourced stone walls, emerges from the slope, supporting the platform that holds most of the program and allowing part of the structure to be partially underground, leveraging the hillside’s natural slope. The program is resolved on the ground and underground levels, while the roof slab serves as a 360-degree viewing deck with a multipurpose area for temporary events. A perimeter corridor between the outer and second ring functions as a balcony and service area. The second ring, with a glazed facade, connects interiors with the surrounding landscape and optimizes natural light. Finally, the third and innermost ring consists of rotating wooden doors, allowing spaces to be as open or closed to the exterior as necessary. A large oculus in the concrete slab at the building’s center frames the landscape elements that rise, subtly marking the structure’s presence. For Taller Ezequiel Aguilar Martínez studio, a fundamental aspect of the building’s concept was maintaining a scale that respects the surroundings while using materials that age gracefully, blending the building seamlessly into its natural context.

La Pedrera circular clubhouse sits within the Tentzo mountain range near Atlixco, Mexico

designed by Taller Ezequiel Aguilar Martínez, the building embraces its hillside setting

a circular layout opens the clubhouse to panoramic mountain views

concentric rings define the spatial organization around a central courtyard

stone, wood, and concrete form the project’s restrained material palette

curved stone walls emerge naturally from the slope

a reflecting pool anchors the heart of the structure

a perimeter corridor connects the outer and inner rings like a continuous balcony

rotating wooden doors modulate openness and privacy throughout the inner ring

materials chosen to age gracefully allow the clubhouse to merge with its context

the structure partially embeds into the hill, blending architecture and terrain

project info:

name: La Pedrera Clubhouse

architect: Taller Ezequiel Aguilar Martínez

location: Atlixco, Mexico

area: 1503 sqm

lead architect: Ezequiel Aguilar Martínez

manufacturers: CEMEX España, Helvex, Iluminamos , Interceramic, Tecnolite, Ternium Hylsa

collaboration and execution: Néstor Ramón Zarate Ibarra, Federico de Zatarain Dach

project management: Triplet Arquitectura

construction: AZ Construcciones

interior architects: Penélope de la Madrid (Ábaka Interiores)

landscape architects: Roberto Villareal (UPAstudio)

photographer: Amy Bello

The post curved stone pavilion encloses circular reflecting pool for clubhouse in mexico appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Rancho Sereno, designed by Manuel Cervantes Estudio, is a 22,000-sqft residence within the 3,000-acre regenerative development of Xala on Mexico’s Pacific Costalegre coast. Set 120 meters inland from the shoreline, the house is positioned to protect native dunes and vegetation, integrating architecture with the surrounding coastal ecosystem. The residence is organized as a series of single-story wooden volumes interwoven with gardens, creating a porous boundary between indoors and outdoors. This arrangement draws inspiration from the spatial rhythms of traditional Mexican haciendas, reinterpreted in a contemporary, low-impact form that prioritizes connection with the landscape. Sustainability guided the material approach. More than 95% of the structure is built from renewable wood, including framework, roofing, windows, and doors, reducing reliance on heavier structural elements such as steel and aluminum.

all images courtesy of Manuel Cervantes Estudio

material continuity defines Rancho Sereno by Manuel Cervantes

Operable wooden panels and louvered shutters promote natural cross-ventilation, allowing ocean breezes to replace mechanical cooling systems. Exposed walls highlight the natural tones and textures of wood and micro-cement, emphasizing a tactile and material-driven experience. The flooring, executed by a Belgian team known for collaborations with Axel Vervoordt, employs micro-cement applied in a technique that produces smooth, joint-free surfaces. This continuous treatment enhances spatial flow and reinforces the relationship between interior and exterior spaces.

Manuel Cervantes Estudio’s Rancho Sereno avoids excessive glazing and heavy construction systems, relying instead on natural ventilation, shading, and simple material choices to reduce environmental impact. The result is a residence that merges architecture and landscape, balancing traditional references with contemporary methods to create a low-impact coastal dwelling rooted in its site.

Rancho Sereno’s outside lounge al fresco

Rancho Sereno’s outside lounge al fresco

outside lounge

sun deck and pool

dining room

bedroom

bedroom

bathroom

dining room

Rancho Sereno’s outside lounge al fresco

project info:

name: Rancho Sereno at Xala | @xala.mx
architect: Manuel Cervantes Estudio | @manuelcervantes

location: Xala, Mexico

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Twelve years after the boutique’s first transformation in Cancún, the Louis Vuitton store presents a new facade that elevates its identity through the expressive possibilities of precast concrete. The design by MATERIA + Gustavo Carmona reinterprets the brand’s iconic flower motif as a sculpted relief that shifts constantly with the play of light and shadow, turning the exterior into a dynamic, sensorial surface. At the heart of the design is a single modular unit, carefully conceived to act both as a structural element and as a vessel for light. When repeated across the facade, this module generates a continuous and vibrant skin that merges precision with rhythm.

all images by Jaime Navarro

Light and Shadow Animate Sculpted Facade of Louis Vuitton store

The composition for Louis Vuitton Cancún boutique by studio MATERIA + Gustavo Carmona creates a strong collective identity while transcending the individuality of each component. The facade recalls the memory of the earlier wooden intervention while advancing into a new material language. More than a storefront, it is an architectural experience that demonstrates how concrete can embody both emotion and detail. By engaging visitors through texture, depth, and atmosphere, the design establishes the facade not only as an element of branding but also as a living presence in the urban fabric of Cancún.

Louis Vuitton Cancún presents a new precast concrete facade

the design reinterprets the brand’s iconic flower motif

sculpted reliefs shift with light and shadow across the surface

a single modular unit forms the basis of the composition

repetition generates a continuous, rhythmic skin

dynamic textures animate the boutique throughout the day

depth and shadow transform the surface into a sensory experience

rhythm and variation emerge from repetition of the unit

the boutique’s identity is expressed through modular form

project info:

name: Louis Vuitton at La Isla
architect: MATERIA + Gustavo Carmona | @_materia

location: Cancún, Mexico

photographer: Jaime Navarro | @jaimenavarrophotography

The post louis vuitton’s cancun boutique unveils concrete facade with sculpted flower motif appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.