- Interior
We would like to take you to a summer destination where natural materials and colours predominate. The subtle use of architectural elements and the materiality of the furniture create an interesting project that captures your gaze. Thanks to its pure and serene aesthetic, we find a paragon of elegance and craftsmanship in this portfolio by PPAA.
Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados was founded in 2018 by Pablo Pérez Palacios.The studio defines itself as an independent practice dedicated to architecture, art, planning, urban design and interior design projects.Their work has been published in Mexico and abroad and recognised by leading architectural awards. This time we go to La Colorada, a house whose statement is based on the attention it gives to nature and the way it achieves this. 
Just two hours from Mexico City, the house is surrounded by incredible nature, so a challenge was to keep the land virtually intact. After analysing the site, we found that on the slope of the land there was an area free of trees. In it, they placed a volume for the bedrooms, allowing them to absorb the slope and have minimal excavation. These intentions allowed them to make the lower volume disappear and allow the public space to float among the trees. The great success of this project lies in the way they were able to divide the programme to give the forest a prominent place. 
The recessed staircase between the two volumes connects the terrace and public space with the bedrooms
The architecture is placed as two separate pieces that distinguish between the public and private sections. On the upper floor, the public section occupies a minimum building area to give priority to the terrace; on the lower floor, the private section is perpendicular to the public section.The large terrace and vantage point extend across the deck from the bedrooms; it is a place from which to admire nature. 
This building system was chosen because, besides its functional feasibility, it generates a habitable roof with a warm atmosphere in spatial terms. A semi-open living room and dining room, the kitchen and a living space for the family, in addition to services, fuel life on this level. The terrace houses the pool and rest area. To balance the desire for privacy with a close connection to the forest, the choice was made to place the bedrooms on the lower floor. The bedrooms overlook the forest and are protected by a porch that runs the entire length of the volume.A recessed staircase between the two volumes connects the large terrace and public space to the bedrooms. This circulation acts as a threshold connecting the two moments of the house: that of contemplation (public space) and that of introspection (private space). 
The interiors are filled with materials and warm colours with certified wood and the walls with a natural earthen finish. Outside, the finish of the lower volume is black to blend into the tones of the trees and disappear; and for the roof, roof tiles have been chosen to blend into the bark of the trees. La Colorada is an architecture away from the spotlight; on the contrary, it is a home that merges into the landscape and sometimes disappears into nature.
Photography by Rafael Gamo
Text by Elke Aerts