Category: Single-Family Housing
Date: 2014
Location: SPGG, N.L., MX.
Lot: 1,200 m2; 12,916.69 sq ft.
Size: 1,159 m2; 12,475.37 sq ft.
Architectural design: Arq. Rodrigo G. de la Peña L.
Architectural design team: Arq. José Juan Garza Cavazos, Arq. Imelda Montenegro Guerra.
Photos: Idea Cubica

About Architect

Rodrigo de la Peña holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Universidad de Monterrey and a Master in Architecture and Urban Design from the Architectural Association School of Architecture (AA) in London, England.

He is a member of the Monterrey Chapter of the National Academy of Architecture and has served as a professor at Tec de Monterrey, and University of Edinburgh. He is passionate about architectural design and observant of his surroundings. In 1987, he began his career as an independent architect focused on residential contemporary design.

After gaining several years of professional experience, he studied for a graduate degree with a focus on urban design, which opened the doors for him to teach architectural design at Tec de Monterrey. In 2005, he founded rdlp arquitectos, a firm that focuses on residential, vertical, and multi-use projects. The firm has developed multi-family and commercial buildings, office spaces, and hotels throughout the entire country.

Exterior of Santa Engracias showing walls constructed of materials suitable for the region's harsh weather. — The exterior of Santa Engracia shows walls constructed of materials suitable for the region’s harsh weather.

A comfortable living room with gray couches, a white lamp, and a piece of art made of a dry tree. — A comfortable and roomy living area with gray couches, a white lamp, and a piece of art made of a dry tree.

Another wide angle of the house interior from the living room all the way to the dining area.

The dining room's exquisite mood is perfectly complemented by the long, rectangular wooden table and the white-toned chairs that go with it. — The dining room’s exquisite mood is perfectly complemented by the long, rectangular wooden table and the white-toned chairs that go with it.

A daytime view of the house's expansive front yard with pool, that can be viewed from the square-shaped room. — A daytime view of the house’s expansive front yard with a pool can be viewed from the square-shaped room.

Evening views of the spacious front yard and pool extend from the living room in the house to the dining area.

Santa Engracia is a house located at the end of a cul-de-sac on a private residential street that has one of the city’s best panoramic views of the Sierra Madre. Santa Engracia arises from an architecture in which spaces flow, integrate, and offer an experience that adapts to the residents’ needs. The house takes full advantage of the views of the mountains to the south.

This project is located on grounds with some of the best views of the south of the city. The design was developed in a series of planes that reveal different facets and paths within the residence. In order to achieve transformation and adaptability, a square-shaped house that can entirely open up to the garden was proposed. From the exterior, the right angle was emphasized through two walls that cross the house from side to side.

The walls, in addition to defining the spaces, separate the circulation areas from the others. The selected materials were appropriate for the region’s extreme weather. A facade ventilation system was included in the walls with the greatest exposure to the sun. On the roof, gardens with low-maintenance regional plants were installed over a volcanic rock bed to reduce the solar impact. On the second floor, where the family room is located, an inclined slab was designed in a common area that serves as an overlook to enjoy the magnificent view of the Sierra Madre and the rest of the city.