A few days ago I watched a fascinating documentary entitled ‘Olé Olé Olé!: A Trip Across Latin America’. This 125-minute feature starring and produced by The Rolling Stones chronicles their 2016 tour around Latin America. What makes this film so special is the bond between these veteran rockers, who still at the top of their game. Much of the footage gives the viewer an intimate glimpse of the real Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay etc. They also visit Mexico, which borders closely with the United States. Certainly, many people have preconceived ideas about Mexico’s capital city. However, as I discovered it does have some amazing contemporary architecture. A great example can be found in Casa Vertientes by JJRR/Arquitectura.
Nestled in the Lomas de Chapultepec neighbourhood of Mexico City is an extraordinary residence called Casa Vertientes. What makes this building so unusual is the almost skeletonised structural frame, which is suspended between two retaining walls. Within this space is a modernistic open plan family home. The original brief to JJRR/Arquitectura was to create a spacious four storey home where family members could interact. Without a doubt, they have achieved this because Casa Vertientes is pretty spectacular.
Recently, I have become fascinated with modular homes because of the overall simplicity of the composition. Casa Vertientes has a similar aesthetic and is constructed from steel, glass, timber etc. Ultimately, this means that all the central living spaces are seamlessly integrated. Even though there’s an enormous amount of structural steel used in construction, the building somehow appears weightless.
Internally Casa Vertientes is finished to an exceptionally high standard. Features like marble tiled bathrooms and exposed timber floors are very effective. Due to the Southern orientation of the home, it is flooded with natural light. This theme is continued outside with several balconies and courtyards to enjoy the warm glow of the sun. Overall this aspirational residence is superbly executed and the design is perfectly balanced.
