Archello Awards 2025: Open for Entries! Submit your best projects now.
Archello Awards 2025: Open for Entries!
Submit your best projects now.

Valle House

Valle House is on a land of approximately 5,000 square meters within Valle Santana, Valle de Bravo, State of Mexico.

 

The land has a complex topography with a 35% slope that causes a lot of complexity for the construction, but due to the height it offers a great view. The house is placed on the highest part and is built down. It is modularly designed and the bedrooms and the social area are floating. Trees, oaks and ocotes, which abound in the area, were not cut down. The design was made to coexist with these trees of between 30 and 40 meters. One of the most important trees on the land receives each visitor in the lobby of the house, generating an interesting sensation as it is the first element of the house along with the view towards the horizon.

 

Landscape design coexists with each volume. A water mirror that rises at the entrance of the house is transformed into two streams that surround the house passing through the central volume and ending in the lake in the lowest part of the land. 

 

The water recirculates with a pumping system upwards to the mirror at the entrance of the house.

 

The lobby, the central volume, is 4 meters high with a straight roof. It connects, by means of glass bridges, both volumes; to the east the familiar area and to the west the social one. In the family area is the guest bedroom, passing through one of the corridors where works of art created especially for this project by the Oaxacan painter Alejandro Calvillo are placed. To the south is the master bedroom with a large terrace with a fire pit and two more children's bedrooms. Each bedroom has its bathroom with interior garden and balconies with swings to enjoy the view.

 

The social volume contains the service areas, covered garage, laundry room, service room and cellar. Through a bridge that circulates through the forest above the streams, you reach the stairs that lead to the interior kitchen, living room and dining room connected to the covered terrace, barbecue area, stone oven and outdoor dining room. On one side is the unroofed area with the Jacuzzi / pool that is heated by solar panels and the deck that floats over the natural area of ​​the land.

 

Solar cells are used to heat not only the pool but the entire house water system. The lake was designed with a rainwater recovery system that is reused for irrigation and to maintain the level of the lake and streams.

 

The structure is made entirely of steel to create clean lines and to affect the natural area as little as possible. The walls are masonry with thick and rustic flat finishes painted in earth colors and certain areas local volcanic stone is used. The lattices that house the gardens of all the bathrooms are made of treated teak wood. All the window framesare made of black analyzed aluminum. The exterior stone was made on site with concrete and stone to cover the entire structure.

 

In each project we focus on those who are going to experience it. We look for colors, textures and textiles that reflect the personalities of each one. We try to be consistent in choosing materials and experimenting with different objects. We work with metals, in this case in bronze tones, which complement the selected colors, as well as tinted wood to achieve a cozy feeling.

 

For each bedroom, a wallpaper was selected that complements the color that each one chose. In the children's room it has thread and wood, in the main one a touch of velvet and in the guest room it is beige with rough fabric. Work was done with local artisans and from other regions of the country to create custom textiles for each bedding set. We design them inspired by Mexican craft and reinterpreted working with artisans from Hidalgo, Michoacán and Oaxaca. The headboards are made with four shades of wood in gray and brown creating a rustic look that blends in with the wooded setting.

 

The bathroom doors are inspired by barn doors that slide sideways. The bathroom mosaics were designed by us, made to order and manufactured in Mexico.

 

All rooms have bioethanol fireplaces as well as one in the living room and a stove in the garden. The rooms have swings on the terraces to enjoy the view outdoors.

 

We have a masters in lighting, we are passionate about it! The lighting design on the terraces and entrance was done in a torch style that marks the outline of the house. Indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures were created for this project as were chairs and various furniture products. In the guest bathroom hangs an original lamp made of strips of handmade wool that measures 2.5 meters and is part of the side view of the facade.

 

In the living room and dining room, the furniture is made up of figures with straight lines without being regular prisms to add space to the space.

 

Another element that brings color to the house is the selection of art. In the corridors we find the work of a very colorful Oaxacan painter. Other accessories such as sculptures, ceramic pieces and lights give touches of originality.

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