Mexican architecture firm Práctica Arquitectura built a weekend retreat with a large inner courtyard.
The tight division between public and private spaces is unraveling” in the Mexican city of Tepoztlan, Mexico.
Design Features
The house has an area of 750 square meters and is named after La Hacienda.
The house is located in the town of Tepoztlán, which is located within a valley,
enjoying a pleasant temperate climate among three rock formations, including El Tepozteco.
The house is arranged in a square plan with a garden and a small swimming pool in harmony
with the green landscape.
The two-storey house is surrounded by volcanic Texcal stone, which contains and shelters all built spaces.
The decision to build a weekend house in Tepoztlan also reflects the sensitivity
of the client’s desire for moments of calm and his sympathy for the city.
They seek belonging, not only to be able to separate from the city, but also because the architectural character of the city is reflected in their home.
A weekend stay for the couple and their children will now, in the future, become a retirement home.
Therefore, areas must meet a wide range of uses, and be arranged in a manner
Strategically not to interrupt or limit other activities.
Design shape
This corner, which has an area of 1270 square meters, is located within a gated community in a residential area.
Its location also offers a distinctive view of El Tepozteco with an orientation towards the north and a sense of openness towards the west, east and south.
It is also surrounded by homes in various stages of development, however,
their ostentation in size, shape and language breaks the line with the landscape.
This makes this home unique.
In this sense, the project starts from a place of opposition to this contradictory set of proposals to restore the elements of the city and its environment.
Tepoztlan is a place to live inside, discovering its secrets in its courtyards, gardens and inside its buildings.
The beauty of the street facades is rooted in sobriety and serenity, inviting the viewer to enter.
With this intention, the exterior of the house is sober and serene,
with a silent respect for its environment, and preserves its charm and mystery to whoever enters it.
La Hacienda Jardín also reflects on the typology of a weekend home and the idiosyncrasies it requires in a given context,
by reinterpreting the concept of a farmhouse.
The architectural program questions the prevailing practice in the area of first fencing the property and then inserting a building and landscaping the remaining landscaping.
In this way, the great courtyard becomes the diaphragm that regulates interactions, unraveling the hermetic division between public and private spaces.
The roof over the courtyard also surrounds Mount Tepozteco, allowing users to maintain an intimate relationship with their environment from anywhere.
Design material
The surrounding wall of Texcal volcanic stone contains and shelters all built-up spaces.
The main structure uses Durango pine, which becomes the main interior material used for beams and columns
Huanaxtel wood is used in latticework and finishes.
The terracotta tile floors, tiled roof, tiled walls, and chocum create a chromatic palette that responds sensitively to the specific use of each area.
Design components
The design consists of these two coordinating elements, the central courtyard and the perimeter volume,
from the continuous connection between them.
The main access in the corner, aware of its position, harmoniously resolves the relationship with the immediate context, and openness to it.
The distribution of the perimeter wall and the definition of the layout on the floor plan also open the walls in the form of pins,
grids that produce a play of light and shadow.
Separating from the rooftop creates a sense of lightness,
and the pergolas flood the area with a homogeneous interior light.
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