three concrete boxes form 'house colibri' by ViGa arquitectos in mexico city

on a raised site overlooking the south of mexico city is a concrete dwelling formed in three parts by ViGa arquitectos. ‘house colibri’ took six years of development and the design follows a concept of adaptability, whereby new volumes have been added to accommodate the client’s changing needs.

three volumes joined by nature

images by angela vizcarra

house colibri is composed of three volumes that are positioned by ViGA arquitectos according to the natural contours of the site. each volume links to the others by a patio, allowing different functions to be separated yet subtly connected. to maintain visual coherence, the three boxes all adopt the same material language of exposed concrete. the concrete then continues into the interior spaces without any attempt to cover the raw quality of the material, making the structures look like rocks hewn from the ground. 

view from the terrace of the third volume 

the first volume, located nearest the street and at the entrance to the site, contains the parking lot and plant room. the second mass, which is also the largest in size, houses all the public spaces such as the kitchen, dining and living room as well as a mezzanine-level studio space. the third and final volume to be built comprises two private bedrooms, each of which boast views out over the garden and mexico city below. 

view of the second volume, which houses the social spaces and a studio space on the mezzanine

view from the garage

steps between spaces

the first floor interior of the second volume

the mezzanine space in the second volume

steps to the main entrance

between spaces

view from the garden

the three volumes as seen from above

aerial view

project info:

project name: house colibri

location: mexico city, mexico

architecture firm: ViGA arquitectos (angela vizcarra & alberto garcía valladares)

area: 1937.50 ft2 (180 m2)

year: 2019

photography: angela vizcarra

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom