M2 HOUSE
PROJECT
AR. JORGE LUIS HERNÁNDEZ SILVA / HERNÁNDEZ SILVA ARQUITECTOS
CONSTRUCTION
AR. PEDRO VAZQUEZ MARTINEZ
TEAM
AR. ALEJANDRO APONTE GÓMEZ
AR. DAVID LUGO
AR. LUIS ANTONIO GONZÁLEZ GARCÍA
AR. ROBERTO PEÑA RODRÍGUEZ
AR. VIRIDIANA MIRAMONTES ARREOLA
LOCATION
CELAYA, GUANAJUATO, MEXICO.
PROJECT YEAR
2007
CONSTRUCTION YEAR
2013-2014
AREA
783 m2
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
ENGR. ALVARO VALLEJO / TADE
PHOTOGRAPHY
CARLOS DÍAZ CORONA
The concept of house M2 is a volume in a “T” shape across the land which generates two big empty spaces. This volume is composed by many platforms, the first platform is the one of the entry level that goes through the garage and the studio and some of the areas located in the semi-basement, the second is the ground level platform, located at the back, which at the area of the terrace and the living room has one and a half height; the last platform is the top floor and it is a platform of one single level where the private areas of the house are located (bedrooms and family life areas) . The idea is that this great body is topped off with a slab where its walls and ceilings bend to shelter certain parts and areas of the house, achieving an intimacy towards the interiors and a great opening towards the back. This is how the project interweaves different sensations through this great body and its empty spaces.
Observing the house as a whole we notice that all this areas that cover the volumes generate different relations and empty spaces allowing us to decide towards where to open the house and towards where not to open it.
The entrance appears as a volume floated over a big wooden wall. Passing by this big elevated and floated body accentuated by the slope of the garden and the great entrance stairway, we arrive to a small and cozy which welcomes us. The intention of the project is to lead the user through an always-changing and surprising path.
This entry space is accompanied by a great mirror of water that ends with a private studio that at the same time opens like a peephole over the living room area, and in the background we have the garden with view to the golf course.
The clients’ requirements were: the house should be very comfortable for their friends, dynamic spaces, an open house and to take the most advantage of the relation of the land with the golf course. The terrace area and the dining area are living spaces where the golf course, the pool, the terrace and the living room are merged, as if it were one big space, taking advantage of the fresh weather of the city of Celaya. What was achieved was that this space felt very generous, placing the minimum amount of construction elements. We also made a concrete based floated structure that covers the terrace and living room area.
The top floor has certain intimacy, and that can be seen in the way the bedroom area opens up to the interior of the house and the master bedroom is separated to the others.
The spaces between houses do not have green areas and this is why while opening this space we were extremely careful to have an element that limited the inside of the house. In the first entrance patio there is an area of trees that goes from the garage surrounding the house to give more intimacy to this patio. Also, as a very dramatic element there is a tree that grows in the parking area, goes through a hole in the ceiling and it is presented as if it was a great flowerpot without base over the water mirror.
Regarding the materials, natural wood was used, all the steel structures that can be seen are painted in a dark gray, board based exposed concrete and thanks to the utilization of this material we managed giving it the character of a great base. About the staircase, it wriggles by one side, almost floating and that works as a backbone communicating all three platforms of the house.