An Introspective Brick Home in Mexico City Wraps Around a Jungle-Like Courtyard

ByMyProperty Life

The monolithic Casa Sierra Fría by industrial designer Hector Esrawe conceals a verdant interior with an imposing brick front.

The landscaping was created in collaboration with landscape architecture studio Entorno.

The concept of home is often synonymous with that of a sanctuary—a secluded retreat that offers escape from the world. It was this desire for privacy that drove the form of a home in Mexico City for a mother, who works as a hotelier, and her three daughters aged 15, 14, and 11. The resulting home—the first residential project by Mexican industrial designer Hector Esrawe—offers the family a verdant oasis hidden behind an imposing and protective brick facade.

The entire home is wrapped in a brick

The entire home is wrapped in a brick “skin” that extends onto the ground at the front and sides of the home. The entrance is found through a simple void in the facade beside a pond with floating vegetation that hints at the verdant interior. 

Read another article:Design Trends for Creating a Vacation Vibe at Home

César Béjar

“The brief was mostly based on how to achieve moments of interaction amongst the family in everyday life,” says Esrawe. “The house provides a constant feeling of warmth and safety, and different spots that allow the family to relate to the courtyard and its lush expression.”

The landscaping was created in collaboration with landscape architecture studio Entorno.

The landscaping was created in collaboration with landscape architecture studio Entorno. “They are extremely talented and have a deep knowledge and understanding of the right composition and best expression of the plants inside a space,” says designer Hector Esrawe. 

Read another article:Hot Trends: 20 Best Farmhouse Style Kitchens in White and Wood

César Béjar

Casa Sierra Fría is located in Lomas de Chapultepec in Mexico City. The residential area surrounds Bosque de Chapultepec, one of the largest parks in the Western Hemisphere. Many of the buildings in the area date back to the 1920s, and feature traditional brick constructions, which inspired the materiality of the monolithic built form. “Because of its format and scale, it stands out immediately,” says Esrawe. “The brick relates to the property’s surroundings and is contemporary yet not invasive.”

Casa Sierra Fría is the first residential project by Esrawe Studio, the design studio founded by Mexican industrial designer Hector Esrawe in 2003. It is regarded as one of the best known design studios in the country.

Casa Sierra Fría is the first residential project by Esrawe Studio, the design studio founded by Mexican industrial designer Hector Esrawe in 2003. It is regarded as one of the best known design studios in the country. 

Read another article:Revamped Small Barcelona Apartment Combines Multiple Styles and Finishes

César Béjar

See the full story on Dwell.com: An Introspective Brick Home in Mexico City Wraps Around a Jungle-Like Courtyard
Related stories:

  • Budget Breakdown: A Murky 1920s Home in California Is Leveled Up for $232K
  • An Elegant Backyard Pavilion Lets an Australian Home Soak Up the Sun
  • Before & After: An Eco-Friendly Family’s 400-Square-Foot Cottage Teems With Plant Life

Similar Posts

  • Brilliant Bathroom in Green Brings Vivacious Color into this Modern Office

    Modern offices are no longer spaces where endless stretches of cubicles greet you and the entire design feels just so sterile. Many of them now incorporate recreation areas, play zones and other activity spaces that offer employees a chance to refresh and have a better quality of life. Taking inspiration from this, the AB&D Office […]

    You’re reading Brilliant Bathroom in Green Brings Vivacious Color into this Modern Office, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

  • Gabled Roof and Exterior in Gray Give the Two-in-One House an Exceptional Façade

    Salzburg in Austria is a city that is renowned for many things ranging from classic European style architecture to world class art and music which is timeless. It is also a busy city where finding space for a large urban home is difficult. Land is divided to accommodate building of smaller homes and this has […]

    You’re reading Gabled Roof and Exterior in Gray Give the Two-in-One House an Exceptional Façade, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

  • Collingwood Residence

    Situated on Bowen Island’s West Coast, the Collingwood Residence is located on a private 10 acre lot surrounded by forest. The home is divided into three buildings, connected by the glass breezeways, as an intentional separation of public and private spaces. The breezeways which separate the buildings afford views to the ocean as you approach the house. Social experiences are centered around the open kitchen, dining, and living space located in the central building, while the master and guest suites are located in the buildings to either side. Floor to ceiling sliding glass doors in the kitchen and dining spaces can be opened to extend the living space outdoors to the covered patio with views to the ocean. The local material selection is reflective of the home’s west coast setting: cedar shingles clad the exterior, while the natural stone grounds the home firmly on its site. The large cantilevered dual-pitch roofs with cedar soffits and exposed structure, reflect the traditional forms of the remote cabin, while they are given a contemporary feel with crisply detailed zinc fascias. The building is highly insulated and airtight to limit the need for energy usage throughout the year. Appliances were carefully selected for energy efficiency and low water consumption. Large low-e coated windows and overhangs are sited to maximize solar gain in the winter months whilst preventing overheating in the summer.