Práctica Arquitectura designs a narrow yet character-filled home in Mexico

Mexico-based David Martínez Ramos, founding partner and lead architect of Práctica Arquitectura has conceptualised a residential architecture in the historic centre of San Pedro Garza in Monterrey, Mexico. This exceptional home for a single-family is built on a very narrow plot that measures five metres by 20 metres. The bungalow reimagines what a narrow house can look like and offers its inhabitants an indoor-outdoor living experience. The home, which has pockets of greenery, is a tranquil oasis that offers panoramic vistas of the neighbouring mountains from its terrace.

“The clients who commissioned the project were deeply drawn to the location of the house. They had a strong desire to feel a sense of ownership over their living space, and to experience a connection to the area that they had not found in any of their previous residences. However, the plot of land they had to work with was very small, measuring only five by 20 metres, which made it a challenging task to incorporate all their requirements. Nevertheless, the design scheme was developed to make the most of the available space,” mentions Martínez Ramos.

Known as Casa Ederlezi, the concrete walls of the house were covered with a reddish coating to give it a distinctive character and to unify its varied spaces. Ederlezi is the name of the celebration that marks the beginning of spring in the Balkans and Turkey. The pigmented concrete coating was chosen as it drew inspiration from the vibrant colours found in the Balkans, evoking memories of the clients' travels in that region. While the layout of the home features a sequence of square-shaped spaces, the built form is animated by crisscrossing steps, platforms, overlapping gates, and a zigzag profile on the facade created along the slope of the exterior staircases. The bungalow’s outer skin meets the city’s heritage conservation restrictions and offers privacy as well.

Pivotal to the design of Casa Ederlezi is a series of interconnecting gardens that run through the entire length of the property. By using these outdoor spaces to divide the house into different zones, it was possible to create an open and inviting atmosphere that would provide the clients with a sense of connectedness and harmony. The bungalow features a central courtyard that divides it into two distinct volumes. The first volume, which faces the street, comprises the entrance hall, the garage, a double-height guest room with a mezzanine, and a rooftop terrace. At the rear, the second volume houses the living room, dining room and kitchen, a blue patio that marks the edge of the property, and the primary bedroom that opens to a landscaped terrace. “The contrast between the greenery of the vegetation with the red tones of the walls, the tezontle in the garden and the doors, seeks to perpetuate the warmth and movement of that season of awakening. It emulates memories of the desert and Mediterranean landscapes present in conversations with clients during the design process. From the particularity of its volumetrics and the mysteries and surprises that define its paths, the personality of the house is constructed, deeply similar, but also different from its context,” Martínez Ramos explains.

Furthemore, in order to meet the strict conservation guidelines imposed by the National Institute of Anthropology and History, the home blends classic elements of northwestern Mexican architecture such as the proportions of the façade’s openings with abstract contemporary features. Additionally, Casa Ederlezi was completed on a strict budget. While its architecture prioritises functionality, it showcases a unique personality. “In order to meet the budget constraint of completing the project under £130,000, the construction method utilised for this project was traditional, employing concrete and block, columns, load-bearing walls, and lightened slabs. Rather than seeking to create an ostentatious display of luxury, the design prioritised functionality, with every element serving a clear purpose to express it,” adds the Mexican architect.

Casa Ederlezi reimagines how we inhabit residential spaces. Rather than a typical box-like structure that accommodates spaces within, the house is divided into two pavilions based on the priority of habitability, with gardens and patios linking the spaces. This layout creates a sense of awe and spaciousness despite the house's small footprint. Additionally, given that the façade primarily had to be closed off due to building restrictions, the essence of the home had to come from within the house itself. The interior design of Casa Ederlezi is minimal, populated with arresting reddish rooms, patios, and landscaped spaces that invite residents to take a pause amidst nature.

This project is an excellent example of a contemporary home that is an extension of the residents’ personalities. In addition, the bungalow was designed keeping in mind the historic area it is located in. “The project sought the greatest functionality, openness and insertion within its immediate context. The former was achieved thanks to the active participation of the clients in the design process to generate a custom-made residence that would provide them with a sense of belonging that they had never experienced before. In this way, the project not only built an architectural personality of its own, but also participated in the construction of a greater meaning in the lives of the clients. The insertion was achieved by complying with all conservation guidelines for new projects within a historic area such as the one in which it is located. In this sense, the project is based on deep respect and a search for dialogue and integration with its surroundings. In addition, the project could be a reference for affordable urban development. In this sense, it has the potential to become an urban catalyst in one of the oldest areas of Monterrey,” remarks Martínez Ramos.

Moreover, Casa Ederlezi showcases biophilic design elements. The home uses renewable energy and houses lush green spaces. “The project featured important active and passive sustainable systems to mitigate environmental effects. As for the former, it has solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems to reduce resource consumption. As for the latter, the green terraces, together with cross ventilation, help to regulate thermal incidence, generate oxygen-producing spaces and encourage the use of vegetation in an area marked by a lack of parks. This last element is especially important in a city like Monterrey with summer temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius,” concludes Martínez Ramos.

Project Details

Name: Casa Ederlezi
Typology: Residential, Single – Family Home,
Location: San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, México
Year: 2019-2022
Surface (plot, built area): 120 m2 / 160 m2
Architect: David Martínez Ramos
Design Team: Alejandro Gutiérrez
Construction: GC3
Landscape: Oswaldo Zurita