2I4E House

2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía

2I4E HOUSE

P+0 Architecture + David Pedroza Castañeda

ARCHITECTS
David Pedroza Castañeda, P+0 Arquitectura

CONSTRUCTION
P+B Arquitectura y Construcción

COLLABORATORS 
Adriana Guisa Romero, Ileana Luna, Luis Villareal, Yannick Strickler, Oscar Rodriguez

PHOTOGRAPHS
FCH Fotografía

AREA 
84 m²

YEAR
2017

LOCATION
Santa Catarina, Mexico

CATEGORY
Houses, Houses Interiors

A weekend house for a couple was set out in a wooden terrain with descending topography. The best views are located a few meters from the access, in the same place where a dip, that testifies the occasional passing of important quantities of water across the land, is situated.

2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía
2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía

It is right there where we decided to set the house to facilitate the access as well as minimize the presence of the construction in the landscape.

The original proposal was a bridge-house where a large volume, suspended over a ravine will connect the two stone garages supported on 3 points: the guest’s room, the staircase and the grill area. A series of economic blows challenged the bridge project, however, the owners strong will to make the house a reality, even if it was just a part, did not give away.

2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía
2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía

A minimum version of the project that can grow over time is then proposed. The bridge volume is left for a second phase and the project includes only the construction of the 2 blocks for the bedrooms.

The generous master bedroom becomes the living-dining room; the closet turns into the kitchen and the guest´s room becomes the new master bedroom.

2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía
2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía

To achieve a congruent built volume these 2 interiors (2I) are proposed as simple and independent elements placed one on top of the other. The connections between them and the relationship with the surroundings generate 4 outdoor spaces (4E) to enjoy the landscape.

The lower volume consists of a bedroom facing the forest, with a bathroom in the background. It is a semi-underground volume whose apparent concrete walls generate the garage on the upper floor.

2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía
2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía

On these walls a staircase is suspended from the garage giving access to the bedroom. The entrance is through the first of the exterior spaces: a patio crowned with a tree, limited by a series of walls that allow it to be treated as a small plaza.

The upper volume contains a small living and dining room, a kitchen open towards the social spaces and a full bathroom that will allow the volume to function as a bedroom in the future.

2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía
2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía

The block moves to the west to generate an access and remains suspended over the bedroom creating, on the lower floor, a second outdoor space: a covered terrace protected by the shade of the magnificent pine tree and cedars surrounding.

The roof of the bedroom, which leads to the north towards the forest, generates a third open space: a small solarium which is accessed through the huge window that demarcates the room.

2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía
2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía

To the south, a second staircase to access the roof top is suspended from the house social volume. This fourth outer space allows enjoying the most impressive views of the land.

The house resolves almost all the interior surfaces with natural concrete. The structural elements such as banked beams, retaining walls and stairs were left apparent; the polystyrene beam and vault roof, as well as the insulating panel loading walls are flattened with a fine, polished finish.

2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía
2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía

The floors were made also in concrete generating a neutral and clean aesthetic that underlines the beauty of the landscape.

Nature activates the project, not only by framing it and creating contrast, but by making the neutral volumes the surface where the shadows of the large amount of trees encircling the house project, adding life to these small pieces that converse with the surroundings with small contemplation points.

The relation between interiors and exteriors establishes a new dialog with the woods and the mountains.

2I4E House
© FCH Fotografía


2I4E House
Basement floor plan
2I4E House
Ground floor plan


2I4E House
Section 01 + 02
2I4E House
East + West Elevation