Spotted in the portfolio of Mexico City–based architect Tatiana Bilbao: a low-budget summerhouse in Lago de Chapala.
The NY Times calls Bilbao one of Mexico’s “major creative voices, a rising star in the growing constellation of Mexican architectural talent. She has a taste for visually bold forms with an intuitive understanding of when to tread lightly in a world that looks increasingly fragile.” For this house, Bilbao’s “signature light touch” is on display; she used rammed earth construction, an environmentally friendly building technique, to create a geometric, view-capturing compound. Join us for a tour:
Above: The house consists of a system of overlapping cubes connected by passageways. Above: A circular white laminate-topped Saarinen Round Dining Table (prices start at $1,993 at DWR) with a suite of Saarinen Tulip Chairs ($1,840 each from DWR). Above: In the simple kitchen, wall-mounted utility rails hold the essentials. For more, see Open Rail Storage Systems in the Kitchen. Above: Bilbao used end-grain tiles of Mexican pine wood for the flooring. Above: The house has panoramic views of the Lago de Chapala and the surrounding mountains. Above: A passageway featuring a mix of materials: rammed earth walls, plywood wall, and end-grain floor tiles. Above: A stairwell with gradated rammed earth walls. Above: Bilbao added pigment to the rammed earth to create a decorative, striated pattern on the walls. Above: A spa-like bathroom. Above: A view of the Lago de Chapala.
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