Ochre House | Chain + Siman

Casa Ocre is a two-story residence situated in the heart of Mexico City that combines modern elements with touches of rustic design to create an exquisite balance.
 
The structure employed both reinforced concrete as well as partition walls, with a foundation based on footings and load-bearing walls. The exterior walls, as well as some of the interior walls, are clad with gray quarry stone of different lengths, whose texture offers a contrast with the cement-sand finishes in the neutral tones of the rooms.
 
The project is designed so that light pours in from two directions, containing the space and bathing the interior with constant natural light. The large, mullioned windows in each room imbue the surroundings with a classic touch; these combine with the furniture and oak adorning the floors and ceilings to create a cozy ambience.
 
One of the biggest challenges in the project was to design around the best possible views, since the property is bordered on two sides by a large slope. For this reason, the house was distanced as much as possible from the slope with a gravel patio, which serves as a garden.
 
The interiors and furniture were bespoke, and smart systems for lighting, audio and video, in addition to the heating and automation system, were all custom designed. The kitchen floor, for example, is a design created with laser-cut iron and cast concrete. The different objects that were selected for the space, as well as the light fixtures for the dining room, the decorative pieces on the walls or the black steel detailing in the furnishings, complement the warm color palette that invigorates the project.
 
The space is comprised of a continuous dialogue between light, materiality and outdoor vegetation, creating a fluid environment. The terraces strengthen the connection between the first floor and the garden, which seems to flow naturally into the ground floor with a covered deck for outdoor activities. A staircase that wraps around a tree in a double-height space, with a picture window that directly overlooks the grove, articulates the different levels of the house.
 
The bedroom area is completely independent from the social area located on the ground floor, which contains the living room, dining room, TV room, and study. The sloped oak ceilings in the bedrooms provide the space with breadth; in the primary bedroom, this feature is accentuated through the continuity between the generous dressing room and the private terrace. The second bedroom is differentiated from the primary suite through its asymmetrical ceilings and gray palette.
 
Throughout the interior, the use of oak wood tones, quarry stone, furnishings, and natural light creates a play of ochre tones, a quality that gives the project its name.