This off-the-grid retreat in the mountains south of Valle Bravo, approximately two hours west of Mexico City, incorporates permaculture principles to establish a holistic, integrated relationship between people and place. Here, as in the surrounding region of Central Mexico, water has become an increasingly precious resource as temperatures rise and populations increase. Casa Temascaltepec offers a new model for designing regeneratively with water. Working in tandem with the local climate, where summers are wet and rainy and winters extremely dry, the design team set out to restore the site’s microclimate which had become eroded over time. The trio of buildings is integrated with a self-contained above- and below-ground reservoir system that collects, purifies, and stores rainwater to supply 100% of the home’s water year-round.
Conceived as a collection of buildings in the landscape, the project is comprised of a main residence, a detached studio, and a bathhouse. Strategically sited to provide views towards the nearby 16,500-foot-high Volcan Toluca Mountain, each structure also gives over significant square footage to covered outdoor space for a seamless connection between interior and exterior. The on-site water treatment system, along with a solar PV array and bio-agriculture gardens, allows for the net-zero retreat to operate completely off the grid.
The main residence is conceived as a pavilion that allows for outdoor use year-round. A raised concrete plinth clad with local recinto volcanic stone serves as a platform for interior and exterior spaces, while a hovering planted roof is supported by a perimeter colonnade of steel columns. Two-thirds of the pavilion is dedicated to covered outdoor space, allowing all sides of the home to breathe and remain open to the elements in the temperate climate.
A compact studio and a detached bathhouse complete the ensemble of structures. In the studio, a double-height space is illuminated by a single large north-facing window that frames a view of the mountain to the north. An outdoor skyspace is situated above the breezeway entry. The stand-alone bathhouse is designed around the experiential quality of water. Conceived as an overlay of Louis Kahn’s Trenton Bath House and Bramante’s Tempietto, the circular structure supports four different bathing activities: therme (hot bath), sauna, steam shower, and washroom. Each bathing room contains its own connection point to the outdoors, all encircling a cold plunge pool at the center which is open to the sky.
The architects Robert Hutchison and Javier Sanchez are available for an interview. Javier Sanchez and his family is also the client; he lives in the home with his wife Lorenia and their two daughters. The home is currently a family retreat, but will transition to a permanent residence soon.