Architect Manuel Cervantes’ own home clearly illustrates the strong contemporary architecture Mexico is known for.
Located in the Mexico City neighbourhood of Lomas de Chapultepec, this striking house, recipient of numerous awards including the Mexican Architecture Biennial in 2022, is simple yet, as they often say, ‘complex’. “I kept the material palette quite simple, essentially in situ concrete, brick and timber,” Manuel says, who was also conscious of earthquakes in the region. “Hence, many of our structures in Mexico City are large, dense and robust,” he adds.
Large steel and glass doors leading to the outdoor terrace create a sense of being in tune with the elements – emphasising the biophilic design.
While the house is monumental, there’s also a sense of lightness with the home’s courtyard gardens accessed through large sliding doors. And given the mild temperatures, particularly during the summer months, there’s a strong connection to the outdoors – cross ventilation, verdant outlooks and outdoor rooms used to extend living areas – a hallmark of biophilic design. “Many of the interior spaces feel like broad terraces or loggias, accentuated by my use of indoor plants,” Manuel says.
Manuel’s home has two levels. The upper level comprises the bedrooms, including the main bedroom, while the lower level is given over to the living areas. And anchored well into the site, taking the form of a concrete box, is Manuel’s studio offering a view of the ravine. “I place great value on creating this inner world for myself, where I can avoid any distractions,” he says. It’s extraordinary that building on this precarious site was even possible, given that just over half the property could be used. “We’re on a nature reserve, so there were restrictions on all fronts.”
Given the mild temperatures, particularly during the summer months, there’s a strong connection to the outdoors – cross ventilation, verdant outlooks and outdoor rooms used to extend living areas.
While Manuel has his own office in the city, he saves much of his most creative work for his home studio, away from constant interruptions. “To be frank, I loathe an office environment,” Manuel says, who shares this house with his young family. “I always knew, even before I started to design this house, that it had to include a personal studio, a space where I could bring clients in for a more personal interaction. But this place also gives clients a strong idea of my aesthetic,” Manuel says, who also finds it easier to explain the materials, finishes and, importantly, the type of spaces he has in his home.
Manuel’s love of nature comes across to those who visit, with many artefacts and objects found in the outdoors and collected over many years displayed on various surfaces, such as a coffee table in the living area.
Described as a series of staggered volumes with concrete portals that frame each level, there’s a strong connection to the ravine and the street. And while concrete offers the structural support, the extensive use of timber, including the chunky timber beams that straddle the living area’s ceiling, adds warmth and texture – juxtaposed with the concrete floors and glass and steel doors to the terrace.
For Manuel, his home is a true expression of the values and aesthetics that he holds dear. “I always like the raw combined with a more refined aesthetic. But it’s also paramount for me to use local materials as I need to connect to the environment, to a place as much as its culture,” Manuel adds.
Maquettes are beautifully displayed on trestle tables in Manuel’s studio.
The outdoor terrace is well protected from the harsher sunlight by well-established trees.
