ARQXIOMA creates maximum-privacy casa vivian in guadalajara, mexico

on the outskirts of the guadalajara, in the mexican state of jalisco, is the mysterious cube façade of ‘casa vivian’. the unassuming dwelling contains a living room, kitchen, two bedrooms and bathrooms, a patio, and an enclosed garden. the client requested that architects at ARQXIOMA, who completed the build, conceive a plan that enabled a feeling of maximum privacy, making it impossible to know whether or not the family is inside at any point in time. 

afternoon and setting sunlight create a visual discontinuity in the façade
all images © onnis luque

despite the impenetrability of the structure, the inside is well-lit, efficiently ventilated, and bursting with a bright color palette chosen by the client. floors and walls are done traditionally, characteristic of local guadalajara fashion. handmade tiles — cement and pigment — flow freely throughout the home, changing colors to signify partitions from one room to another. in addition to the preferences of the owner, paints were chosen to represent freshness, joy, and peace according to accepted color psychologies. 

parking and entrance 

natural stone composes the exterior, and is further altered as the sun sets in the evening, when relief shadows give the cubes an extruded appearance. next to the entrance are locally grown ‘organos’ — cacti — sourced from a farmer several miles out of the city. regardless of the tight framing and relatively minute size of the plot, the use of color and through-ventilation provide a private, welcoming atmosphere. 

despite the impenetrability of the home, the interior is light and well-ventilated 

interior and view to garden 

main living space 

colored tiles help visually partition the space without the need of doors or other elements

the client-selected color palette includes orange, green, white and gray

all tiles are handmade using cement and pigments 

garden 

looking into the home from garden 

bedroom storage 

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