Rain Harvest Home
Robert Hutchison

Rain Harvest Home

Robert Hutchison Architecture as Architects

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.

photo_credit Jaime Navarro
Jaime Navarro

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.

photo_credit Cesar Bejar
Cesar Bejar

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.

photo_credit Benedikt Fahlbusch
Benedikt Fahlbusch

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.

photo_credit Rafael Gamo
Rafael Gamo

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.

photo_credit Rafael Gamo
Rafael Gamo
photo_credit Rafael Gamo
Rafael Gamo
Caption
Caption
Products Behind Projects
Product Spotlight
News
Midland Metropolitan University Hospital sets new standard for clinical healthcare design
7 Nov 2024 News
Midland Metropolitan University Hospital sets new standard for clinical healthcare design

Architectural studios HKS, Cagni Williams, and Sonnemann Toon have completed the Midland Metropolita... More

EovaStudio uses Baguette Oval glazed terracotta facade from Tempio in sports pavilion renovation
6 Nov 2024 News
EovaStudio uses Baguette Oval glazed terracotta facade from Tempio in sports pavilion renovation

Seville-based architectural firm EovaStudio has renovated and improved a sports pavilion located in... More

25 best architecture firms in South Africa
6 Nov 2024 News
25 best architecture firms in South Africa

Located at the southernmost tip of the African continent, South Africa is home to a varied topograph... More

Porseleinen Hof by Orange Architects connect modern architecture with the city’s industrial past
5 Nov 2024 News
Porseleinen Hof by Orange Architects connect modern architecture with the city’s industrial past

Porseleinen Hof by Orange Architects is an innovative housing development in Delft (NL) that redefin... More

Primary school in Au, Austria by Bernardo Bader Architekten recalls traditional approach to building in wood
5 Nov 2024 News
Primary school in Au, Austria by Bernardo Bader Architekten recalls traditional approach to building in wood

Austrian architectural studio Bernardo Bader Architekten has completed a new primary school in Au, a... More

Key recent projects by Dietrich | Untertrifaller
5 Nov 2024 News
Key recent projects by Dietrich | Untertrifaller

Dietrich | Untertrifaller is an international architecture firm known for its sustainable and contex... More

25 best track light manufacturers
4 Nov 2024 Specification
25 best track light manufacturers

Track lights are versatile lighting systems that offer flexible and focused illumination for various... More

Mixed wood and concrete production hall in Austria nestles neatly in a picturesque village setting
4 Nov 2024 News
Mixed wood and concrete production hall in Austria integrates into its picturesque village setting

DI Simon Moosbrugger Architekt ZT has designed a new production hall facility for Austrian company T... More