Header: Rafael Gamo
Casa Ailes is a house in a gated community in Mexico City, designed by Jaime Guzmán Creative Group. Conceived as a refuge, the house has an almost blind façade facing the street, formed by six extruded concrete volumes that project from the front and carve out recesses.
The street side is closed and private, while the opposite side turns towards the garden and the views of the city. This contrast also appears in the layout and in the use of materials, where the weight of the concrete is set against lighter parts of the house. At the main entrance, a reflecting pool frames the access and mirrors the concrete above it, drawing attention to the lines of the façade.
The design process
Jaime Guzmán Creative Group began the design process by studying the clients’ routines and the way the house would be used. For Casa Ailes, the clients asked for open social areas connected to each other, alongside a separate gathering space where their teenage daughters could meet with friends without crossing into the private parts of the house. This separate area is located in the basement, which has its own entrance from the street and also contains a large parking area and service spaces.
A walk through the ground floor
On the ground floor, the entrance leads into a vestibule crossed above by smoked-glass bridges, which link the upper levels and put the spotlight on the ceiling’s height. From there, the social areas are arranged around a central patio that brings natural light and cross-ventilation into the house. Here, a vertical concrete block contains the lift, which was included so the clients, now in their fifties, can continue to use the house comfortably over time.
A corridor runs from the entrance towards the garden, introducing along its course the office, family room, living area and kitchen, all of which have large sliding glass doors connecting them to the garden. The living room is linked on one side to the central patio and on the other to the main terrace, where a large concrete cantilever shelters residents from the weather. Directly above, on the upper floor, is where the main bedroom can be found. Its side walls work as wall-beams, allowing the terrace below to remain open.
Into the second floor
The second floor is accessed through a solid stair block, with marble used on both the floor and the ceiling, which leads to the glass bridges above the entrance hall. At the northwest end, the younger daughter’s room is located in one of the projecting elements of the main façade. The extra depth created by this volume is used for built-in storage, bookshelves and small resting areas. At the southwest end, the main bedroom faces the garden and includes a large walk-in wardrobe and a bathroom where a ceramic bathtub is complemented by views to the outside. This floor also includes a laundry room for bed linen and clothing.
The independent third floor
The third floor works as an independent apartment within the house, giving the eldest daughter a more autonomous area. It is reached by a staircase that brings in natural light as it rises and opens views towards the west side of the city. Her bedroom, much like her sister’s, is located on the main façade, while the family room sits at the opposite end and opens onto a planted terrace with a wide view. This terrace includes a steel lattice with folding screens that can be opened or closed to adjust privacy, light and temperature.
Contrast through materials
Casa Ailes uses a restrained material palette built around exposed concrete, wood and steel. Concrete is the main material, appearing on both the exterior and interior surfaces with a rough texture and an even tone throughout the house. Achieving that consistency between indoor and outdoor areas was one of the main construction challenges. Wood is used on floors and ceilings, adding a warmer finish against the concrete. Steel forms part of the structure and is also used in interior details, where its thinner profiles contrast with the heavier concrete volumes.
Interior design by Mariana Rivera
The interior design by Mariana Rivera dressed the home with furniture and art from Mexican and Italian designers. Each piece was chosen within the same range of colours and materials used throughout the project. In the living room, for example, one of the main artworks is a Japanese kimono by Mayte Guzmán, painted with gold over a lead canvas. The piece connects with the zen and wabi-sabi references already present in the house.
Efficiency and sustainability
Casa Ailes includes several systems to reduce energy and water use. Hydronic heating is used to warm the house without drying the air, and a smart home system allows lighting and entertainment to be controlled from mobile devices. Furthermore, rainwater is collected and reused in the reflecting pools for irrigation and for washing cars. The house also has solar panels, which help lower its electricity use and reduce its dependence on the grid.
Casa Ailes brings together the main concerns of Jaime Guzmán Creative Group’s work on the house: privacy, family routines, material consistency and proximity with the garden. The project is shaped around the clients’ way of living, from the independent basement speakeasy and the eldest daughter’s apartment-like floor to the lift, the open social areas and the outdoor terraces.
Project information
Company: Jaime Guzmán Creative Group
Lead designer: Jaime Guzmán Corcuera
Design team: Fernando Rodríguez, Manuel Sánchez
Interior Design: Mariana Rivera
Construction: Jaime Guzmán Creative Group
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Date: 2024
