Peroles House: Architectural Design Exploring Integration with Topography and Traditional Urban Layout

Peroles House Site and Topography

According to the description provided by the architectural team, Peroles House is located as one of six homes on the outskirts of the Valle del Maíz neighborhood, one of the oldest districts in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The site is characterized by steep terrain, which imposes specific challenges in architectural design and urban planning.

Local Vegetation and Its Influence on Design

The site is dominated by diverse vegetation, including pepper trees, huisache trees, mesquite trees, and cacti such as nopal. This ecological diversity not only gives the place a natural and aesthetic character but also affects material selection, window orientation, and natural ventilation strategies within the house.

The Importance of Topography in Architectural Design

The steep slope of the site requires careful consideration in the distribution of interior and exterior spaces, as well as how to seamlessly integrate the house with the surrounding nature. Furthermore, the interaction between topography and vegetation provides opportunities for greater privacy, mitigating direct sunlight, and achieving harmony between the building and the landscape.

Preserving the Traditional Urban Layout

The Valle del Maíz neighborhood retains the original layout of its built environment, with streets running along contour lines and plots flowing along a longitudinal slope that follows the natural incline of the terrain. This planning reflects a deep understanding of topography and the importance of adapting to the natural environment when designing cities.

Integration with the Environment and Hydraulics

Furthermore, this traditional structure responded to specific hydraulic and agricultural standards, allowing the use of surface runoff water for irrigation purposes. This integration between urban planning and environmental functions demonstrates how traditional design can be both efficient and sustainable, preserving natural resources while enhancing the quality of life in the neighborhood.

Contrast with Modern Developments

In contrast to the new gated residential complexes that reflect the city’s modern growth, the design of Peroles House aims to integrate with the existing dynamics of the Valle del Maíz neighborhood. This approach highlights the architects’ focus on preserving the traditional social and environmental connections of the area, rather than creating isolated units detached from the local context.

Harmony with the Surroundings and Local Identity

The houses maintain a scale compatible with neighboring plots, ensuring each home has a direct connection to the street. The design also establishes a balanced dialogue with the landform, vegetation, and the identity of the surroundings. This approach creates a living experience more connected to nature and the local community, emphasizing the importance of respecting the urban and historical context in the design of new projects.

Spatial Organization of the Houses

Each house in the Peroles project consists of four geometric volumes designed to efficiently accommodate the architectural program. This arrangement reflects careful consideration of the different functions within the house, organizing them logically to facilitate movement and daily use.

Sequence from Street to Interior

The spaces are arranged from the street toward the back as follows:

1. Commercial volume at the façade to provide an activity connected to the neighborhood.
2. Bedroom volume to ensure privacy away from the street.
3. Kitchen and service volume to meet daily needs.
4. Living and dining volume at the rear, providing a flexible and comfortable family gathering space.

Maintaining Harmony with the Environment

In all six houses, these volumes maintain the same dimensions and proportions, ensuring a consistent design language. The variation lies in the placement of the volumes within each plot, adapting to the location of existing trees and achieving a balance between making the most of nature and maintaining flexible planning.

Circulation and Connectivity Between Spaces

Movement between the different volumes in the house is organized through a series of architectural elements such as courtyards, porticoes, staircases, and gardens, which gradually unfold along the interior path. This organization enhances the natural transition between indoor and outdoor spaces, providing a layered and rich living experience.

Environmental Diversity Within the House

Changes in elevation, variations in light intensity, water features, and plantings contribute to creating diverse environments both inside and outside the house. These elements not only add visual appeal but also help improve natural lighting, ventilation, and residents’ sense of connection with the surrounding environment.

Material Selection and Its Influence on Design

Brick was chosen as the primary material for constructing the walls, due to its flexibility in adjusting heights and platform levels using brick as the standard unit. This choice reflects a precise architectural understanding of how to utilize local materials in a manner that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

Brick as a Local and Economical Resource

Furthermore, brick is a local and economical material, widely used in the Bajío region of central Mexico. Its use contributes to reducing construction costs and supports the sustainability of the project by relying on locally available resources.

Functional and Structural Roles of the Walls

The exterior walls of each pavilion are designed to be more robust, fulfilling several important functions:

• Housing the various facilities within the house.
• Providing acoustic and thermal insulation to ensure residents’ comfort.
• Protecting interior spaces from external conditions, such as weather and temperature fluctuations.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

It can be observed that the design of Peroles House offers several positive aspects, such as careful attention to the topography and local vegetation, as well as maintaining design consistency among the six houses, reflecting a focus on environmental integration and spatial harmony. The clear organization of volumes, along with the placement of pathways and courtyards, also enhances the logical transition between interior and exterior spaces.

However, there are several points that could be useful for consideration in future projects:

• Heavy reliance on brick as a standard unit provides limited flexibility for expansion or adaptation to different uses in the future.
• While scale and proportion are preserved with the surroundings, the connection between commercial activity and residential spaces may require further study to ensure long-term privacy and comfort for residents.
• The repeated distribution of volumes and structures may limit architectural diversity within the neighborhood, creating a repetitive pattern that could affect the perception of the area’s urban identity.
• Environmental challenges, such as steep slopes or future climate changes, may require additional technical solutions to ensure the long-term sustainability of the buildings.

This architectural experience can be leveraged by using the project as a model for studying how residential buildings can be integrated with complex topography and local vegetation, while considering future flexibility in design and adaptability to diverse residents’ needs. The project also offers an opportunity to understand the balance between architectural unity and individual privacy, a valuable lesson for architects and students in the field of neighborhood and small-scale project design.

information about the project

• Architects: Escobedo Soliz
• Area: 257 m²
• Year: 2025
• Photographs:Ariadna Polo