Planting Modernist Seeds in Mexico – Casa La Semilla

Casa La Semilla, by Mexican studio T3Arc is an organic type of residence, a prevalent trend among modern homes. It was completed in 2011 and is located in Jiutepec, in the state of Morelos, Mexico. The team took great care in completing the design, as the vast plot on which the home is located was once used for the production and retail of Fichus trees. The main prerequisite was that the home does not disturb the environment. Its name, literally ‘The Seed House’, does reflect this intention and the extent to which it materialized. It was quick and simple to build and now stands almost imperceptible from several vantage points on site. The trees around the home were integrated into the design, and now stand as a compact sunshade against the south-facing façade.

The design is dominated by the poured concrete columns, which, together with the trees around the house, bring order into the disarrayed picture of the lush vegetation around the house. The tall, slim trees reiterate the three central columns of the 200 square-meter home, as well as the concrete beam that extends across them like ‘an inverted pendulum.’ The home was built to face north, as it stands in a very hot region of Mexico. It only includes a master bedroom and a small child’s room, with the rest of the home an open floor plan, with a bar in the kitchen, and an open view to the landscape in the living and dining areas. The south garden features a beautifully wild open area under the Fichus trees, with a table to rest at in their shade. The open, sun-kissed terrace to the north features a wooden deck floating like a pier over a pond used in the garden irrigation system. Casa La Semilla truly is a seed for other modern homes, which need to be as respectful to the environment as this one is.

(Source: T3Arc)