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.

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.

The 3,660-square-feet residences of this housing development called Entre Pinos are identical in form and layout.

Each building is composed of six volumes that are configured to create a void in the center of the house.

This central courtyard frames tranquil views and provides its owners with a private, intimate sanctuary.

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.

Except for one volume, which has a slightly sloping roof, the roofs on the other volumes of the house are flat.

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.

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.

On the upper floor are three bedrooms that look out to the sea of pines.

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