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Sustainable House Translates Local Culture Into A Contemporary Design

By Simona Ganea | Published on

Designed by studio rdlp arquitectos, Casa Puebla is a contemporary residence located in Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico and features a design defined by strong contrasts. The building is composed of two volumes which form an L-shaped floor plan. One of the volumes is a closed concrete box with modern wooden shutters and sits on top of a glass volume. They contrast with each other but they also complement one another.

The concrete volume houses all the private areas and has a closed off designView in gallery
The concrete volume houses all the private areas and has a closed off design
While the street-facing facade lacks visible openings, the rear side features windows with shuttersView in gallery
While the street-facing facade lacks visible openings, the rear side features windows with shutters

Of course, there’s more to this concrete house than just the looks. The architects took a sustainable approach to this project, giving the house double facades for solar protection, large openings for good cross ventilation and a series of reflective pools, water features and lots of vegetation which keep the spaces cool and offer shade while also creating a strong bond between the indoor and outdoor environments. Inside, the decor is stylish and modern, with elements like the grey kitchen cabinets putting emphasis on minimalism.

the double facades form a series of intermediate areas while also offering solar protectionView in gallery
the double facades form a series of intermediate areas while also offering solar protection
The ground floor contains the social and service areas and has large sliding glass doorsView in gallery
The ground floor contains the social and service areas and has large sliding glass doors
The kitchen communicates with the living room and dining area and features a large islandView in gallery
The kitchen communicates with the living room and dining area and features a large island
The architects managed to dissolve the boundaries between the indoor and outdoor by creating continuous spacesView in gallery
The architects managed to dissolve the boundaries between the indoor and outdoor by creating continuous spaces
The closed wooden shutters sit flush with the outer concrete facade, giving the house a minimalist appearanceView in gallery
The closed wooden shutters sit flush with the outer concrete facade, giving the house a minimalist appearance
Large sliding glass doors and continuous flooring create seamless transitions between the spacesView in gallery
Large sliding glass doors and continuous flooring create seamless transitions between the spaces
The staircase is a major design feature for the entire ground floor. It has a concrete structure and floating wooden stepsView in gallery
The staircase is a major design feature for the entire ground floor. It has a concrete structure and floating wooden steps
Natural light plays an important role throughout the residence, in particular the social areas on the ground floorView in gallery
Natural light plays an important role throughout the residence, in particular the social areas on the ground floor
A ceiling-mounted modern fireplace creates a warm and inviting ambiance making the living room extra charmingView in gallery
A ceiling-mounted modern fireplace creates a warm and inviting ambiance making the living room extra charming
The wooden shutters and the matching privacy fence balance out the concrete volumesView in gallery
The wooden shutters and the matching privacy fence balance out the concrete volumes