Ask any sommelier where the world’s great wines come from, and it’s unlikely that Mexico will be in-cluded in the results. That, however, is changing, and the epicenter of that change is roughly 70 miles south of San Diego in Baja, California’s Valle de Guadalupe. Situated 1,000 feet above sea level, but only 13 miles from the ocean, the arid valley can reach temperatures of over 100 degrees during the day, but is cooled each night by ocean breezes—perfect conditions for growing great grapes.

As it turns out, these were also ideal conditions for a group of six friends from San Diego to invest in a large subdivided property where they could build vacation homes, and even explore the wine-making business on a shared vineyard. The first home to go up was designed by Sebastian Mariscal (who is the next in line for a home) and his firm MS-31 for Federico and Ceci Fuentes, their two children, Nicolas and Paula, and pet dog Lucas.

Construction started with the house’s defining feature: a 177-foot-long, ten-foot-tall rock wall. Made from locally quarried stone, the wall serves not only as a noise barrier for the busy road that borders the property but also as a physical link between the home’s three living areas. A corrugated Zincalume “wing” extends outward from the wall, providing shelter and shade.

The main living area features a 24-foot-long pocket door, which when opened completely exposes the space to the outdoors. “This was a 100 percent contrast from the clients’ urban life,” notes Mariscal. “In the city you go home and you’re done with the outside world; here it’s all about interacting with the outdoors.”

Without a hallway, passing from one area of the house to the next requires that you venture outdoors, but if it gets too warm, you don’t have to go far to find the swimming pool—it’s practically inside the house. In fact, it even cuts through the rock wall as a foot-deep reflecting pool before transforming into a hot tub, which leads into the swimming pool. Now that’s what we call living on the water.