Amankay House
Di Frenna Arquitectos
ARCHITECTS
Di Frenna Arquitectos
DESIGN TEAM
Mariana de la Mora Padilla
INTERIOR DESIGN
Bruno Taller
TEAM LEAD
Matia Di Frenna Müller, Mariana de la Mora Padilla, Juan Gerardo Guardado Ávila
PHOTOGRAPHS
Lorena Darquea
AREA
475 m²
YEAR
2024
LOCATION
Ciudad de Villa de Álvarez, Mexico
CATEGORY
Houses
English description provided by the architects.
Casa Amankay reveals itself with calm. Stone steps ascend through the vegetation, marking the rhythm of arrival. The surroundings invite a slow progression.
To the right, a tall, leafy tree makes its presence felt; on the opposite side, a vertical volume seems to respond, maintaining a quiet balance.
The architecture presents itself clearly, yet finds a gentler way to appear in the shade and vegetation.
From the outside, the volume reads as a horizontal sequence. A band of exposed concrete runs across the entire facade, and together with the roof slab, frames the upper floor as if it were contained between two planes.
That line is not just a support; it houses wide planters that traverse the front, replicating the structural line with vegetation.
As if the house were giving back part of the land it occupies. The gesture is firm but not rigid.
Inside, the first pause is marked by the staircase. Made of steel and wood, it floats in the space with an almost sculptural character.
Below it, a loose stone basin insists on pulling in what happens outside. A double-height window frames the external foliage, and the vegetation seems to enter, diffuse, subtly filtering among the reflections.
The light changes with the hours, casting irregular shadows, revealing textures on the walls, and filtering the green of the leaves over gray, rough surfaces.
The materiality, as a whole, reinforces the contained character of the house: polished concrete, stone, and steel mark the structure and atmosphere, while wood—found in doors, ceilings, and furniture—softens without clashing.
Everything remains within a neutral, monochromatic palette that highlights what changes: the vegetation, the light, the air moving between the courtyards.
At the back, a courtyard organizes the common areas. The kitchen and terrace connect completely with the outside, and a couple of steps are enough for the latter to take on a more intimate air without isolating itself.
Everything is contained by vegetation: a living barrier that replaces the wall, allowing for views but not being seen.
The upper floor, more reserved, houses the bedrooms. Here, intimacy coexists with the constant presence of green, which filters through every window and terrace.
The rooms open directly to patios or terraces, strengthening the relationship with the surroundings.
Nature enters wherever it can, and the house does not oppose it.
Casa Amankay stands firmly, displaying its volumes in a compelling dialogue with the site.
It is a solid, defined presence that asserts its place without the need for disguise, showing its character and architecture with honesty.
