To live in the past, rooted firmly in the present.

This project was born with the chance to step in and make a change to an apartment within the Condesa Building, a local icon that’s been around since 1911 and was built by Thomas Gore. Located in the pretty, historic Colonia Condesa, one of Mexico City’s earliest experiments in making residential developments that felt like towns, all tree lined streets and old fashioned architecture from the 1900s.

From the get-go I saw this place as a building that was built to last, a building that could just soak up the years without losing its sense of self.

Rather than trying to knock it all down and start from scratch, I decided to keep its original bones intact. The existing walls, doors and ceiling heights already created a sense of order to the place. Within this logic, the programme: two bedrooms, kitchen and living areas, was reconfigured to meet the needs of a contemporary family, all without touching the original building.

From day one our goal was to bring back some of the Arts & Crafts spirit of the building without turning it into a museum piece. So we carefully remade all the mouldings and details and restored the actual frames, doors and the outside walls to how they used to be. That way, the place can still feel like it has its own story to tell.

The big windows were pretty key to the whole project. Because of them, loads of light comes pouring in, and that really connects the inside of the house to another era and to the world outside too. That’s what really brings the whole space together.

The result is a home that feels like it’s been around the block a few times: a place that’s at peace with its history and the world around it where time really does get worn down through just the everyday stuff that happens there.

Gabriel Mancera | Mancera Estudio