A house in the middle of the woods in Mexico

Casa en el Bosque is located in a residential neighbourhood near the Barrial forest in the municipality of Santiago, Mexico.  As W.E.Y.E.S estudio explains, the project had an accomplice rather than a client; a young man attentive to detail, gifted with a practical spirit and a great passion for outdoor sports and nature.

The result of this special encounter between designers and client is a 160 square metre single-family villa composed of four volumes, whose roots were guided primarily by the position of the trees.
The volumes lie on the slopes of the land, leaving space to the vegetation; sorrounded by the forest, overhung by the tops of the trees and suspended above the ground by stilts. Two of them house the bedrooms with bathrooms, while the third houses the living area of the house. The garage is located in the last one. Light footbridges and stairs connect the volumes and the inhabited architecture –  essentially reduced to structure, glass and brick –  becomes part of nature itself.

The guiding idea of the project was that to have a minimal footprint on the site. The alteration of the topography was as limited as possible and all trees were respected. The construction process was low-impact, avoided the use of heavy machinery and local materials, while passive systems were used to improve ventilation. The construction used a traditional system of columns and lightened concrete slabs, with double brick walls opening onto the landscape, guiding paths and creating outdoor patios. Over time the materials will age gently, leading to the fusion of the house with its surroundings.