Casa en Arteaga by S-AR

The project is a weekend house in the mountains of the Sierra de Arteaga, in the state of Coahuila in northern Mexico.

The house is laid out on the slope of an old orchard in mountainous surroundings, with the intention of having minimal impact on the site and natural vegetation. This solution also ensured the best views, as the orchard vegetation is much more open and lower than the surrounding forest.

The volume is perforated with courtyards that break up the interior spaces and bring natural light inside.

The largest of these contains a staircase leading up to the roof, where there are 360-degree views over the valley and the mountains.

The house is understood as a kind of sanctuary, where its users move away from the city and meet nature. The house allows them to connect with their natural environment, generating a deep awareness of the place, resources and the world they inhabit in a safe and pleasant way.

Although the house belongs to a family, the experience of going to their refuge in the mountains generates moments of reflection and self-discovery to each of its members, according to their ages, their roles and family responsibilities.

The house acts as a refuge and an observatory, and as an instrument to observe the landscape, the mountains and the forest and feel the time passing by.