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’s 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 the 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.

Back part of the house featuring the white wall in-front of the white-colored fence that matches the house. — The back part of the house features a white wall in front of the white-colored fence that matches the house.

An exterior view of the second floor that highlights the wide glass window in modern style.

This is a nighttime picture of the home's stunning entrance, which is illuminated by lovely light that brings out the white walls. — This is a nighttime picture of the home’s stunning entrance, which is illuminated by lovely light that brings out the white walls.

A close-up view of the second-floor, wide glass window with a distinctive design.

You can see the lights from the ground illuminating the bright colors of the glass and the white walls through the interior view of the house as seen from the lawn.

This living room space will serve as both the visitor's accommodation and a place to relax while taking in the scenery outside. This room is divided from the rest of the first floor by an L-shaped wall. — This living room space will serve as both the visitor’s accommodation and a place to relax while taking in the scenery outside. This room is divided from the rest of the first floor by an L-shaped wall.

This long, metallic staircase with a glass handrail connects to the family room on the second floor.

San Agustin is a residence located on grounds with unique natural characteristics: a stream to the east and a park to the south. The house opens up in all directions and the large windows and skylights, illuminate the interior spaces and provide better views of the surroundings. The project uses isolated volumes that integrate into one dynamic element, employing formal discontinuity as an architectural tool.

The contemporary design exhibits a clear and attractive visual for residents and visitors alike, making the house a contemporary architectural icon in the area. The discontinuous spaces come together through a series of differently sized and positioned screens, determining their use and movement in the house.

On the first floor, a wall separates the different spaces such as the entrance, living room, dining room, study, terraces, water mirrors, and bathrooms. On the second floor, there are three bedrooms, a family room, and two terraces, one facing the front of the house and the other towards the adjacent stream. The first-floor entrance connects to the family room on the second floor through a metallic staircase that highlights the height of the space.

Architectural design can be appreciated through the details and spaces that connect with each other to form a unified whole. In the interior, the surfaces are mainly white with metallic detailing as well as wood on the staircases and marble on the floors. The layout allows the space to open vertically and horizontally, making the nearby stream and groves part of the experience.