indoor-outdoor retreat // casa meztitla, mexico

Adjacent to a national park and designed by a young Mexican team, Casa Meztitla takes some of atmosphere from pre-Colombian indoor/outdoor architecture, throws in some futuristic 60s funk, cave-like comforts and brings it all together with modern sustainability and understatedness.

Head architect Luis Arturo Garcia told Wallpaper magazine recently that the house was a 'context in itself', referring to the natural stone and concrete walls that camouflage the holiday house in its craggy backdrop and beyond.  The house also makes use of the nearby wooded landscaped terraces, formed over five hundred years ago by native Tepoztecos.

 

Casa Meztitla sits at the foot of the sacred El Tepozteco Mountain, near the historic town of Tepoztlán in a central and rural part of Mexico. Designed as a couple's retreat for leisure and entertainment, we think this sustainable house is also perfect for indoor and outdoor slipper living as you wander from its terraces to its shaded pool. It's just rustic enough to let you absorb into the ancient landscape but also luxurious enough for complete bliss.

The house transitions seamlessly into four zones but with relaxing and entertainment at its heart. We love the spacious kitchen made for cooking with friends and how it extends onto the open dining area leading out to the garden. We can just imagine those crisp starry nights sitting under a Mexican blanket with a good book or good friend.

The row of four bedrooms each have their own en suite and patio. There is also a service zone off the central courtyard with bathrooms, laundry and grill for alfresco dining. Upstairs there is a white box studio for creative and inspiration moments away from the rest of the crew.

This piece of contemporary Mexican architecture also prioritises sustainable living making the most of the warm subtropical weather. The long periods of dryness has influenced the choice of plants such as the sturdy but colourful bougainvilleas that rim the property. The garden is low maintenance and low water, with a visually pleasing and rather clever old fashion storm water well especially built (though it looks like it could be a 1000 years old).

Stormwater is collected in the wet season. It is stored and purified for drinking and other uses. Greywater is also recycled for flushing toilets, gardening, cleaning, and for the benefit of local wildlife struggling in the drought season. The combined capacity reaches 280 square metres of water meaning the Casa Meztitla is more or less self-sustainable.

This stunning contemporary holiday home blends perfectly into its rocky environment offering an unobtrusive space. The property sprawls just 400 square metres of the 3,800 square metres of the actual site but it feels larger as it visually opens up and merges into the landscape. Add to that more rambling space in its rooftop terrace.

Mexico City architectural firm EDAA work on a range of projects from theatrical nature proposals to housing projects. Head architect by Luis Arturo Garcia has extensive experience in Canada as well as Mexico, the rest of the team are young and dedicated to contemporary designed accompanied by modern disciplines such as sustainability.

For more on the architects see edaa.mx and for more on the house check out the Wallpaper magazine article.

Photos courtesy of KuuVision.

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