ludens' santa catarina house wraps trees with volcanic stone façade

ludens’ santa catarina house wraps trees with volanic stone façade
photo © angélica ibarra
all images courtesy of ludens

located in coyoacán, inside santa catarina neighborhood, mexican architecture firm ludens has completed a project proposed to be an introverted and intimate house. the facade was made with local material called red ‘recinto’, which is a volcanic type of stone.

corridor connecting the semi-private space, passing behind the concrete block that contains the stairwell
photo © angélica ibarra

the residence remains closed to the exterior, allowing the interior to define the overall aesthetic through its architectural qualities. the volumes and the organization of the space are planned around two huge ash trees. in response, the principal intention is that every area is be able to make its own association with each plant. 

transverse corridor passing through the glass bridge that connects to the study
photo © angélica ibarra

the first tree is situated on the edge of the terrain along a cobbled street. here, the studio includes an illuminated patio that tops off the space and a concrete cube corresponding to the shower cabin in the bathroom. the second tree is close to the core of the ground and it creates a central courtyard that brightens the rest of the programs. on one side, the concrete stairwell is perforated by window circles in a random way, framing the rigid angles of the trunk. on the other side, the kitchen is completely open in order to take advantage of the enclosed greenery using the vegetation as a place to eat outdoors. above, the second level houses the master bedroom, where fenestration orients scenes towards the verticality of the plant with a squared vein that abstracts its texture. taking advantage of the grandiose wooden cortex inside the main suite, the tub extends slightly on the courtyard, creating a direct window to the leaves and the sky.

the floor pattern has been designed by briefcase.cc
photo © angélica ibarra

this is how the dwelling is arranged, in slices that separate one zone from another to allow the existence of the vegetation that obtains light and natural ventilation. this same constructive system emphasizes interstitial spaces, generating a series of concrete partitions where every interior façade produces a courtyard made of brick and timber, giving the house a character where the final result is set by the textures, the smells, the acoustics, and the temperature.

view towards the patio shared by the shower cabin
photo © angélica ibarra

the main entrance is composed of concrete, steel, and red stone
photo © angélica ibarra

wooden kitchen
photo © angélica ibarra

stairwell perforated by random window circles
photo © angélica ibarra

floor plan 

elevations

sections

project info:

project: casa santa catarina
typology: private dwelling
design: ludens
collaboration: iván hernández quintela, tiago pinto, anna mieszek, antonio garcía, juan vázquez
location: méxico DF, méxico
surface: 300m2 of terrain, 300m2 of construction
constructor: CIME
year: 2013-2014
photographs: angélica ibarra

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.