Casa Mika by Arquitectura Sergio Portillo.

“When we saw the dimensions of the site, we found it an interesting challenge to try to solve our client’s needs with local materials and low environmental impact”, says architect Sergio Portillo Alarcón, founder of Arquitectura Sergio Portillo, about this two-storey, 465-square-metre residential project designed for a couple with three children, in Mexico City.

For this house, which has a 16-metre façade facing the street, the starting point was the rectangular geometry and flat topography of the lot. Protecting the spaces from the noise coming from the busy city avenue where the home is located was also key during the design process.

The architect decided to create two main bodies, separating public and private areas through several courtyards, each with its own specific character and feel. “It is a house that generates dialogues between the spaces and their immediate surroundings, between exterior and interior, between solids and voids”, says Portillo Alarcón. “It takes you from one space to another through different experiences.”

The first single-level block comprises the main access, garage service quarters, living room, dining room and kitchen. The second two-level block is home to a living room, study and guest bedroom on the ground floor while three bedrooms overlooking the rear garden and central courtyard occupy the upper floor. A corridor connects the two volumes, acting like a glass bridge and transitional area while providing access to the patios.

“We wanted to generate different atmospheres depending on the space and its use throughout a narrative of local materials that sought to connect its inhabitants with the essence of the place”, says Portillo Alarcón.

Natural textures and soft colours were used throughout, with a focus on local materials in their raw state such as exposed concrete, oak wood and quarry stone. “We wanted to use brick but we were looking for a sober tone, not orange like the conventional brick”, explains Portillo Alarcón, who ultimately chose white clay brick. “We tried not to use prefabricated materials, such as aluminium, so we made the windows and doors of ironwork with adjustments and custom solutions solved on site. This made the construction process mostly artisanal.”

Related: Bricks Decoded: Knockout Brick Houses.

The same peaceful atmosphere with neutral hues continues inside where the architect put special emphasis on lighting fixtures, using them as statement pieces in the different spaces. For example, a pair of 18-inch, brass Bola Disc pendants hangs above the dining table from Pablo Designs, Trufa pendant lights by David Pompa adorn the kitchen and Zeppo wall lamps by Astro Lighting are placed in the bathrooms.

“Through our projects, we strive to generate an emotion or an experience that will remain in the memory of those who live it”, says Portillo Alarcón. With this home, he certainly achieved that.

[Images courtesy of Arquitectura Sergio Portillo. Photography by Cesar Bejar and Rafael Gamo.]