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Architects: Taller David Dana
- Area: 1817 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:César Belio, César Béjar
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Manufacturers: AutoDesk, Adobe Creative Cloud, Cemex, Grupo Arca, Trimble Navigation
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Lead Architect: David Dana Cohen
Text description provided by the architects. Located to the west of Mexico City, Casa Madre is a single-family residence that is perceived as a concrete sculpture sculpting the terrain. It is composed of five staggered volumes in response to its sloping topography. This arrangement allows each of its levels to create openings and direct its views toward the landscape and treetops.
From the initial approaches to the site, certain constraints were identified that guided the project, such as the elevated position of the plot, the presence of abundant vegetation in the surroundings, and its access via two roads. This generated the opportunity to experiment with the facade's volumetrics through terraces and cantilevers, adapting to its steep slope of more than 17 meters.
In this way, the project emerges among the trees and neighboring buildings; at the same time, it subtly recedes from the perspective of the user from the street. The residence is developed across five levels, where the dynamics of the spaces are defined by the activities and privacy required by the inhabitants. This creates a transition in its architectural program that begins with the everyday entrance on the upper level and culminates on the ground floor, which is used sporadically.
The entrance level houses the public areas and becomes the heart of the house. Efforts were made to establish an interior-exterior connection through generous openings and communal spaces such as the terrace and green roof, encouraging user interaction with nature. Concrete is the protagonist of the project, working both structurally and ornamentally, creating a neutral canvas that is enriched by the interior color palette and vegetation.
Inside, the design premise was to create a balance of tones and warm atmospheres that envelop the user. This was achieved through the use of wood as the main element, following the principles of Gestalt psychology in design, in combination with natural stones, and the thoughtful integration of furniture and art curation.
To guide the user to the lower levels, visual focal points and framing were used to accentuate depth, highlighting an 'amber brown' marble dado and artwork by Francisco Toledo, among other artists. In the exterior spaces, landscape design was considered with the intention of creating a journey that invites the user to contemplate the vegetation and explore the residence. Upon reaching the lowest point of the terrain, the complementary areas to the family residence are revealed, including accommodation space for visitors.
