Casa Las Higueras

Overview

The project is located in the sub-tropical city of Tepic in the capital state of Nayarit. Tepic is a rural city that lies in the west part of Mexico. In recent years the city has grown rapidly and developed into a modern city. However, during the course of the city growth it had managed to preserve its rural identity.

The project was commissioned by a family who owned a plot of land within a former sugar cane plantation on the outskirts of Tepic. The plantation was closed and has since become a private residential enclave. The site is accessed by a single street that terminates at a dense forest. The topography of site is presents a challenge for construction. Half of the lot depth is at street level, while the remainder of the land slopes away from the street, continuing towards a sugar cane field that dominates the background view of the site.

Due to these site challenges, the architectural massing not only responds to the topography but to the expansive views of the surrounding countryside. Consequently, the plan and arrangement of the bedroom and living areas are split over two levels to ensure that all primary functions have a visual connection to nature. The street entry level of the house accommodates the private and service functions of the home. On the lower level, the kitchen and the living areas are accessed internally, from the upper level or externally, from the lower pool terrance.

Above the pool, the bedrooms are cantilevered over the lower terrace and each bedroom has an unobstructed view across the sugarcane fields. On the lower, there is a more tangible connection to the natural beauty of the site, in part because the distinction between interior and exterior are less apparent.