River House is a 1,200 square meters construction designed in a wooded area of Valle de Bravo. This project is composed of two spaces, one private and one open divided by a river that starts at the main entrance and surrounds the entire house.
This grand project harbors an underground wine cellar with the ideal temperature and lighting, it has a capacity of 400 bottles. Next to it, we can also find an underground high-tech multimedia room.
On the terrace, you will find an exterior kitchen worthy of the best chefs in the world with a stone oven, Viking Grill, Teppanyaki iron facing a dining table for 14, lounge areas, pool, and gas chimney. The interior kitchen and its 6 meters high ceiling gives service to the breakfast room which is surrounded by a steel and glass structure facing the garden, river and surrounding forest, and to the interior 12 seat dining room. After dinner, you may enjoy the main living room alongside the double-height main entrance with a wood fireplace that warms the whole house on chilly evenings.
The private area, a three-level section, contains 5 bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and balcony created to enjoy alone time facing the river. On the lower level, there is a full spa with sauna, Hamman and massage area. At the turn of every corner, you find interior gardens that intertwine open and closed spaces.
The house was built with steel framing which allows for wide areas with large windows and double-height ceilings. Earth-tone coating stones are used for the façade. Glazed tiles on the ceiling, Alamo wood window frames, and railings, as well as black aluminum frames.
A steel and glass bridge connects the two volumes and allows views of the natural surroundings and the architecture of the house.
Dark grey stones, mahogany wood, detailed topography, and the surrounding vegetation and river are combined to make River House feel like it is part of nature. The architectural language, created from layers of different materials, dilutes the structure in the scenery. With this, the hard elements like volcanic rock and concrete are softened. The window lattices are made with black anodized aluminum. The structure is created with black steel sheets.
The house is composed of several volumes, with slanted ceilings that meet at a central point. The highest area is the one containing three levels that harbor private bedrooms and private family areas.
The second volume, with two high ceilings levels, contains the social and service areas. The interior living and dining room beside the exterior living and dining areas lead to a terrace that allows connecting with the outdoor. The pool alongside the social area makes a transition between the house and the exterior landscape.
The basement hosts a wine cellar with ideal temperature and lighting and an art & high-tech multimedia room.
Alongside the river sits a Jacuzzi next to a fire pit, it is surrounded by comfy chairs wrapped in warm sheep’s skin. A full bathroom is located near the area.
The central pieces are two horseshoe chandeliers, one is nine-meter high and the second one is six meters high, falling through each of the homes´ levels. Each balcony is intended for reading and enjoying the view and sound of the water.
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- This charming and rustic home is viewed from the steep incline of the stone driveway leading to the main entry. From this vantage you can clearly see the tall trees that build a gorgeous background for the home.
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- At night the house lights up with a warm yellow glow from the interiors through the tall glass walls matching with the exterior lights and spotlights that light up strategic areas of the exteriors to create a picturesque scenery.
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- The house has indoor pond with a lovely landscaping of textured stone walls, driftwood accents and various plants that are augmented by the warm yellow lights coming from the pendant lights and spotlights.
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- The house’s patio has a sofa next to a small elongated firepit that also warms the pool area beside it that goes all the way to the edge that is elevated for a wonderful view of the forest beyond.
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- The bathroom has an Industrial-style quality to it with its newspaper wallpaper and black fixtures that fit in with the black steel frame of the vanity and the couple of black cabinets flanking it. These are also complemented by a brass bowl sink and its brass pipes below.
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- This eclectic large room houses an informal dining area in the middle of its other areas. The dining area has a circular dining table surrounded by beige leather chairs under a tall wooden shed ceiling that ends with skylights and steel beams on the far side.
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- Next to the informal dining area is the living room with a large curved sectional sofa that has another set of sectional sofas following the curve on the other side. This side is paired with a unique and decorative coffee table with a wooden surface and black legs.
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- Next to that is this area with its own curved sectional sofa facing a large textured stone wall that houses the fireplace. Behind this curved sofa is a row of waist high cabinets that follow the lay of the curved sofa used as a storage for dishware.
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- The kitchen also has an Industrial-style look with its black steel elements and charming black pendant lights. These are hanging over the large marble kitchen island that supports the stove of the cooking area topped with a vent hood held by the metal rungs. On the far end of the island is a breakfast bar with a rustic wooden extension next to the large glass wall.
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- The formal dining room has a unique large rectangular dining table that has a surface made of both wood and glass topped with a set of modern chandelier hanging from the wooden ceiling. The table is surrounded by modern steel chairs that somehow match with the wall accent behind.
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- This basement is fitted with a relaxing L-shaped sectional sofa that balances the harsh texture of the stone wall behind it that is adorned with a large wall-mounted artwork. This sofa is paired with a modern black coffee table with a puzzle-like design under a large wooden ceiling with exposed wooden beams.
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- This is the gorgeous wine cellar with a alrge wood-top table in the middle for a tasting area. This is paired with wooden stools that matches well with the hardwood flooring, wooden wall with embedded shelves across from the stone wall with beautiful decorative wine storage and shelves for glasses.
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- The house also has a relaxing spa room with a couple of massage tables supported by chains on one side next to the large wooden wall with embedded shelving for decors and lit with yellow lights for accent. This room has a large glass wall with a view of the relaxing landscaping outside.
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- There is also a steam room with uniform wooden walls, floors, ceiling and built-in benches with its own lighting for accent. This is also adorned with a large glass wall for a view of the gorgeous landscaping outside.
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- The walk-in closet has a large textured stone wall on one side leading to dark cabinets and shelves that are built into the other walls. This pairs well with the hardwood flooring and wooden ceiling that has a slightly grayish tone.
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- The primary bedroom has a spacious hardwood flooring mostly covered by a large earthy area rug underneath the large bed. The dark wooden ceiling has exposed wooden beams to pair with the couple of black leather arm chairs at the foot of the bed. There is also a pair of large sliding glass doors on one side to access the balcony.
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- The primary bathroom has a freestanding white porcelain bathtub in the middle of the dark stone flooring that matches with the walls. This makes the white tile accent on the right side of the bathtub stand out. In the middle of this is an embedded alcove for soaps and towels.
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- This space-saving room has four platform beds placed on a large wooden structure with wooden steps in the middle to access the upper layer. This bedroom also has its own sliding glass doors to access a personal balcony with a view of the lovely landscaping just outside.
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- This bathroom has white walls with decorative accents. This makes the large dark wooden structure stand out in contrast. This structure has cabinets and drawers with lovely artistic handles that match the brass bowl sink on top paired with an elliptical wall-mounted mirror.
Technical sheet
Author: Luciano Gerbilsky Arquitectos
Location: Valle de Bravo, Mexico
Square Meters: 1,200
Date: March 2018
Photographers: Héctor Velazco Facio/José Margaleff
Press Distribution: v2com
About us
More than an architectural firm, Luciano Gerbilsky Arquitectos is a space consultant that integrates architecture, design, and art. Our firm was created in Mexico in 2011 with a philosophy that accentuates the importance of detail in every space. Our experience allows us to have a wide variety of projects: urban development, buildings, homes, week-end houses, restaurants, commercial stores, offices, and undertakings remodeling.
Luciano Gerbilsky Arquitectos is made up of individuals who are passionate in each of their specialty and committed to esthetics and comfort as key elements in life. Interior designers, architects and project, illumination and furniture design managers work together with artists who are integrated into our projects. We form a team focused on design – to create, produce and fabricate in association with administrative and commercial developers.