Casa Diaz

What were the circumstances under which you received the commission for this project?

A friend and his family had a plot of land in Valle de Bravo, a small town about two hours from Mexico City, and wanted to build a new house with the space and programme that were required in that moment.

Please describe your design process for the building.

In general, our design process is based on a series of intuitive ideas with which we later attempt to corroborate in relation to the programme, the context, lighting, ventilation, etc. This was the process in the case of this house.

In what way did the place influence the project?

The site is unique and special, as much in its topography as its typological determining factors. Hence, it strongly influenced the design strategy and the urban image of the house.

How does the finished building compare with the project design? Were there any drastic changes between the two and/or were any lessons learned during the construction?

There were barely any changes made between the project and the finished house; only adjustments during the work in progress, above all in finished interiors, lighting and chancellery criteria.
One always learns things during the construction process.

How does the building relate to contemporary architectural tendencies, whether being in relations to sustainability, technology, etc.?

We don’t know if there is necessarily a relationship between our project and contemporary architectural tendencies; we believe in our responsibility as architects towards the city, the client, the times in which we live, the context. Obviously, part of these responsibilities has to do with technology and the careful consideration of the environmental impact of our projects.

E-Mail Interview conducted by Bernhard Althof