House Maza
Location: Valle de Bravo, Mexiko
Architects: CHK arquitectura
Year: 2012
Photographs: Yoshihiro Koitani
Text description provided by the architects. The Maza house is a holiday home located in the natural setting surrounding the Lake of Valle de Bravo. It Is placed in an irregular difficult and steep slope area. The house is surrounded by a rill of clear water on one side, the vegetation of other buildings on the other side and lush forest in the rest of the edges.
The only access is located in a corner of the place which is the lowest point of the piece of land; the arrival is through a narrow bridge over the creek. In spite of the land has beautiful near views of the rill, it is necessary to rise to get to see the lake through the next forest.
These characteristics of the place condition the location of the different uses according to its importance. The service areas and parking are located in the basement. The more public areas are on the first level with the best horizontal visual. The most private areas are grouped to the east side of the house and, like the house rised up the neck, it grow up looking for the best views.
The interior is built as the sum of different spaces, each one is designed as a scene. In the passage from one to another the change of materials, varying light levels, the routes and the apparition of exterior views are the resources that modulate and enrich the experience of walking the house.