Header: Rafael Gamo
Tucked away in a low-density residential area of Mexico City, Cárpatos House is a response to a unique set of site conditions. With just 400 square meters to work with, narrow and elongated, architect Ignacio Urquiza Seoane and his team at IUA Ignacio Urquiza Arquitectos took on the challenge of creating a spacious, light-filled home that feels connected to nature.
Strict zoning laws and setbacks determined the building’s footprint, but rather than seeing these restrictions as limitations, the architects used them as design tools. The result is a steel and glass structure wrapped by a lush perimeter garden that softens its geometric form while ensuring a continuous interaction between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Spatial openness and natural integration
Inside, the home is anything but static. A dynamic layout includes double-height spaces, floating bridges, and open terraces that naturally integrate with the structural frame. At the center, a courtyard garden extends the connection to nature while helping regulate temperature.
The basement serves as a multifunctional space, housing a gym, office, wine cellar, and game room. The first floor is dedicated to social areas, directly opening onto the surrounding greenery, while the second floor holds private bedrooms. Finally, a rooftop terrace functions as an outdoor extension of the living space, designed as a play area for children.
The blue-green tinted windows reflect the sky and landscape, allowing the structure to almost disappear into the environment at times. The light gray stucco adds softness to the rigid geometry, while the chosen color palette, borrowed from Le Corbusier’s Pantone collection, blends beautifully with the surrounding greenery.
Carefully chosen interior and landscape design
Interior design by Vieyra Estudio adds warmth and texture to the space. Carefully chosen furnishings and layered curtains interact with the home’s transparency, balancing its sharp lines with softer, tactile elements. The landscaping, curated by Thalia Davidoff, reinforces the feeling of inhabiting a cloud forest, where boundaries between inside and outside dissolve.
Project info
Name: Cárpatos
Location: Mexico City
Architects: IUA Ignacio Urquiza Arquitectos
Interior design: Vieyra Estudio
Lead architect: Ignacio Urquiza Seoane
Design team: Ana Laura Ochoa, Anet Carmona, Michela Lostia di Santa Sofia
Lead interior designer: Lorena Vieyra
Interior design team: Jimena Trejo
Landscape design: Aldaba Jardines, Thalia Davidoff
Photographer: Rafael Gamo, Estudio Urquiza (Ignacio Urquiza), Arturo Arrieta
