Mexico - Morelia
Located in the heart of Mexico, Enso II is a building full of character, just like the capital of its namesake state, Guanajuato.
Indeed, there are few places in Mexico with as strong an identity as Guanajuato. This character is clearly reflected not only in its architecture, but also in its traditional cooking utensils, aqueducts and legends such as Pípila, a 19th-century figure of Mexican resistance.
In this region, stone is deeply rooted in all forms of cultural expression. That's why it was a natural choice to bring this architectural work to life.
Designed by the architectural firm HW Studio, the complex is based on a cruciform plan. The space is divided into four parts by a cross of stone walkways defining the paths, framing and separating all the zones.
A theme has been assigned to each of these areas: the lower right-hand section welcomes residents on their arrival; its purpose is to house an endemic garden that protects and welcomes people and other living beings. The second part is for cars; special care was taken with the trees during construction, as they provide shade to protect them from the sun. To crown it all, a long, slightly arched stone wall protects the entrance, preserving the privacy of the residence and emphasising the horizontal presence of the mountain in the background.
The third section is the one-bedroom house. Here, public spaces are separated from private ones by a single volume containing bathrooms, a dressing room and a service area, which breaks with the open-plan layout. Finally, the fourth section houses an office, the only visible and prominent vertical element that contrasts with the horizontality of the landscape and the rest of the elements - a design that evokes the emblematic volumes of the former Santa Brígida silver mine in Mineral de Pozos.
The dispersal of spaces leads one to move from one to another, in contact with the earth, the air and the mountains, as in an ancient monastery framing the landscape while at the same time blending into it integrally.