Five Cubist Hideaways Peek Out From a Mexican Pine Forest
Constructed out of brick, wood, and soil excavated from the site itself, these monolithic dwellings embody the connection between nature and the built environment.
Designed by Puebla-based practice Taller Hector Barroso, five minimalist weekend homes dot a pine forest in the town of Valle de Bravo, each one in harmony with the topography of its site.
The entrance to the weekend home
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
Constructed from soil culled from the site, combined with wood and brick, the five buildings have a warm, earthy, terracotta color, their architecture intimately tied to place through the choice of material.
A sun-drenched bedroom on the ground level
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
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A mysterious staircase leads up to the bedroom
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
The 3,660-square-feet residences of this housing development called Entre Pinos are identical in form and layout.
Five weekend houses in the town of Valle de Bravo
Courtesy of Taller Hector Barroso
Each building is composed of six volumes that are configured to create a void in the center of the house.
The house is composed of six volumes whose layout creates a void in the center.
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
This central courtyard frames tranquil views and provides its owners with a private, intimate sanctuary.
Full-height glass doors connects the living areas with the garden and forest outdoors.
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
An interior courtyard
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
Within the larger volumes, the space underneath the interior staircases are cut out from the facade to reveal a saw-toothed, hollowed-out space on the lower corners in certain sections of the exterior walls.
The interior staircases are cut out from the façade.
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
A saw-toothed, hollowed out section on the exterior wall
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
Except for one volume, which has a slightly sloping roof, the roofs on the other volumes of the house are flat.
A sun-drenched bedroom on the ground level
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
On the north, the volumes are solid and closed, but to the south, they open up to bring in natural light, and draw in garden and forest views.
A corner lounge area
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
A minimalist dining table and large fireplace
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
The living area, dining area, kitchen, and one of the bedrooms— all of which occupy the ground floor of the two-story house—extend to meet the property’s outdoor terraces, patios, and the garden.
A dining area with a built-in bench and table
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
A simple wood-finished kitchen
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
On the upper floor are three bedrooms that look out to the sea of pines.
A built-in nightstand in the bedroom
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
The bedrooms in the lower and upper level
Courtesy of Rory Gardiner
Courtesy of Taller Hector Barroso
Project Credits:
Architect, builder, interior and lighting designer: Taller Hector Barroso SC
Structural engineer: Ricardo Camacho Architect
Civil engineer: Tomás Rodríguez Moreno Architect
Landscape design: Entorno Taller de Paisaje
Published