FRENTEarquitectura: mini studio

FRENTEarquitectura has completed ‘mini-studio’, an art workshop located in colonia del vale, mexico city, mexico. using trapezoidal shapes and by controlling the perspective, vanishing points are emphasized achieving a dynamic and fluid space that awakens imagination while stimulating creativity. this area is limited to only 27 square meters and is nested in a small gap that was originally occupied by a storage room in the backyard of a residence.

due to the south orientation of the site, the main challenge was to avoid the entry of direct sunlight into the space without eliminating the view towards the garden. to achieve this, the upper-level volume extrudes itself southward to project its shadow over the ground-floor window that connects the studio with the exterior. the sloped roof slabs block the sun rays from the working area. allowing the subtle entrance of uniform light over the double-height ceilings amplifies the scale of the levels.

image credits: paul czitrom & onnis luque

the mezzanine gently rests over a wall at the back of the studio and pushes itself towards the exterior suspending its angled floor over the garden integrating it to the outdoor space. whereas, the ground-floor glazed door opens from side to side to completely vanish the border between the indoor and outdoor environments. a small window at the top of the facade produces a triangular shadow throughout the day providing movement to the volume.

glass doors open the space to the garden

mezzanine level

stairs to mezzanine level

access to exterior

skylight

studio space

plans

(top) sections
(bottom) elevations

construction process

project info:

name: mini-studio
typology: studio / art workshop
location: colonia del vale, mexico city
constructed area: 48sqm
footprint: 27sqm
design year: 2010
construction year: 2011
architects: FRENTEarquitectura
architectural design: juan pablo maza
project team: daniel nava, estefanía hoth
photographers: paul czitrom & onnis luque