Jardines del Pedregal in Mexico City Is much different now from what Luis Barragan conceived representative pieces from the modern movement in Mexico where built in the area, few are left today.
Our intervention begins by retiring layers of previous finishes and restorations to discover the modernist look of floating slabs, purist volumes, and slim columns. As if it were an archaeological site, we slowly discovered de presence of the volcanic rock that persisted under the postmodernist and classic gardening done by the previous owners to integrate the rock as a vital part of the landscape and the interior architecture itself.
The biggest challenge consisted in the intervention to preserve the modernist essence of the building while fulfilling the client’s requirements of function and image.
Materials such as volcanic stone, steel, poured concrete, wood and glass were used, preserving the original sobriety and purity, using details with a contemporary language as well.
The exterior landscape design enhances the existing elements, integrating foreign plant species with the endemic, looking for low maintenance and low water consumption options. Each space of the exterior is designed as a specific and unique environment but part of a greater sequence that enhances the views from inside the House and invites exploration and discovery of the outdoor spaces.
For the interior design, the material selection was extended according to the different environments that were intended. The natural and artificial light as well as an almost monochromatic ambiance were the main design guidelines for the interior, the brushstrokes of color and wood as well as carefully chosen pieces of art and design furniture result in a welcoming space.
The final image maintains the modernist air that had been expected, giving a contemporary appearance but evoking the original atmosphere of Jardines del Pedregal. The budget was reduced in part by the combination of simple and economic materials as well as the reutilization of the volcanic stone product of the excavations giving margin for additional investments in specific elements of a higher cost like tempered glass panels, smart lighting control and design furniture. Domestic materials such as marble, stones, quarries and onyx were used.
Solar panels were installed for the heating of swimming pools, solar heaters for the water of domestic use and photovoltaic cells for the generation of electric energy that combined with 100% LED lighting reduce the energy consumption to what a conventional 300 sq/ft apartment would consume.
The project was solved thanks to a close collaboration with the client mainly "in situ", each design decision was projected and executed little by little and with trial and error efforts, reaching the ideal solution. There was a collaboration and contribution from suppliers and contractors who helped shape several of the spaces. A multidisciplinary team of architects, landscapers, interior designers and engineers were integrated, who with regular meetings and a teamwork effort resulted in the solution of each design element.