Casa en Avándaro / ESTUDIO Ignacio Urquiza Ana Paula de Alba
Casa en Avándaro is a residential project by ESTUDIO Ignacio Urquiza Ana Paula de Alba, completed in 2024 and located in the forested landscape of Valle de Bravo, Estado de México. Set on a steep, densely vegetated slope, the house is conceived as a quiet architectural frame that foregrounds the surrounding forest, its light, and its seasonal changes.

Architecture Framing the Forest
The project responds directly to the site’s topography and existing trees. Its orientation follows the natural slope and the order of mature pines and oaks, with the main façade facing north toward a nearby stream. A central void formed by the arrangement of volumes creates an interior garden that preserves the trees while allowing southern light to warm the house naturally.

Spatial Organization
The house is composed of two primary spatial conditions: four solid, enclosed volumes and a single open living space that connects them. The solid volumes provide privacy and house the private program, including bedrooms, kitchen, study, family room, and service areas. In contrast, the central living and dining space is fully transparent, enclosed by glass on all sides and covered by a lightweight concrete roof supported by steel beams.

Indoor–Outdoor Continuity
A floor-to-ceiling retractable façade spans nearly ten meters across the main living area. When fully opened, the glass panels disappear into an adjacent volume, transforming the living room into a covered outdoor terrace. This strategy allows the project to function with a single communal space that seamlessly merges interior and exterior life, a key element for a house immersed in nature.

Material Palette
Materials are intentionally neutral and restrained, allowing the forest to remain the primary visual presence. Exposed concrete, locally sourced stucco, oak, volcanic stone, and flat clay tile roofs create a soft, monochromatic palette that highlights the surrounding greenery. The concrete base elevates the house from the ground, acting as both structure and thermal barrier against humidity.

Interior Atmosphere
Inside, light materials and understated finishes reinforce the calm character of the architecture. Natural textiles such as wool, linen, and cashmere add warmth, while simple, classic furniture and custom pieces maintain a sober language that does not compete with the landscape. Discreet lighting completes the atmosphere with soft, ambient illumination.

Living Among the Trees
A flat roof above the central space becomes a private terrace accessible from the family bedrooms, offering a new vantage point within the tree canopy. Through its careful balance of solid and transparent elements, Casa en Avándaro explores the relationship between habitation, form, and context, creating a fluid and immersive living experience deeply connected to the forest.


Project Data
Project name: Casa en Avándaro
Location: Valle de Bravo, Estado de México, Mexico
Use: Residential
Area: 537 sqm
Status: Built
End of construction: 2024
Architecture office: ESTUDIO Ignacio Urquiza Ana Paula de Alba
Architects: Ana Paula de Alba, Ignacio Urquiza
Design team: Michela Lostia di Santa Sofia, Anet Carmona, Ana Laura Ochoa, Adán Salazar, Valeria González, Miguel Ángel Vega
Landscape design: Genfor Landscaping, Tania Eguiluz
Interior design: Ana Paula de Alba
Furniture: Ana Paula de Alba, Rituales Contemporáneos, Perch, Allied Maker
Photographer: Rafael Gamo
Website: ignaciourquiza.mx
Instagram: @apda.mx, @ignaciourquiza.mx, @nacho.urquiza
Press contact: Fernanda Ventura | fernanda@ignaciourquiza.mx / Paulina García | paulina@ignaciourquiza.mx / info@ignaciourquiza.mx