dispersed stone volumes and alleys develop a cruciform residential plan in mexico

ENSO HOUSE II by HW reflects Guanajuato’s cultural heritage

HW studio arquitectos take over the design and construction of ENSO HOUSE II in Guanajuato, after thorough historical research on Mexican cultural and architectural identity. In this area of the country, stone elements hold deep roots in any form of cultural expression, thus, the material chosen stands as a focal point of the design reflecting the region’s architectural heritage. Utilizing a local material bank and capable labor nearby, the project encourages a dialogue of respect between the artifice and its environment.

The entire residential complex is organized on the basis of a cruciform plan, thus, the space is divided into four quadrants by a cross of stone alleys defining the paths, framing the landscape, and separating one quadrant from the other.

all images by Cesar Bejar

cross plan distributes various functions to four quadrants

Once divided, a ‘vocation’ is assigned to each of these quadrants, with the lower right quadrant, the first one, receiving the inhabitants upon arrival, and housing a protective and welcoming endemic garden. The second quadrant is designated for the cars, while special care is taken to the trees during construction, as they would provide shade to protect the cars from the sun. To top it off, the design team at HW studio arquitectos develops a long, barely arched stone wall to protect the entrance and emphasize the horizontal presence of the mountain in the background. In the third quadrant, the one-bedroom house is arranged. The public spaces stand separated from the private ones by a single volume containing bathrooms, a dressing room, and a service area, breaking the open floor plan. The fourth quadrant assembles the office space, the only visibly prominent vertical element that contrasts with the horizontality of the landscape and the rest of the elements, seeking with this gesture to interact with the iconic volumes of the Santa Brígida mine in Mineral de Pozos.

stone formation frames the mountain evoking tranquility

‘The dispersion of these volumes forces a permanent pilgrimage between spaces; it makes you come into contact with the earth, the air, and the mountain as if it were an ancient monastery, framing the landscape but at the same time forming a natural part of it’. Silhouettes appear from the scenery ‘as if performing in a play’. The building’s largest and most outspoken windows face south, providing a convenient orientation, and visual connection to the long mountain of Santa Maria running from east to west, an important focal point in the city. The large windows open completely and allow fresh air into the structure. The height of the adjoining wall is high enough to hide the roofs from the neighbors, but low enough to conveniently frame the mountain. The stone formation, white and modern, aims to be a space that evokes silence, a pause among the noisy cityscape.

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project info:

name: ENSO HOUSE II
designer: HW studio arquitectos | @hwstudioarq

lead architect: Rogelio Vallejo Bores

architects: Oscar Didier Ascencio Castro,Nik Zaret Cervantes Ordaz

location: Guanajuato, Mexico

photography: Cesar Bejar | @cesarbejarstudio

video: Montse Roma

communication: area colectiva