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Ochre House

Chain + Siman

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Bronze
Living and dining room - Rafael Gamo
Entrance hall - Rafael Gamo
Study - Rafael Gamo
Living and dining room - Rafael Gamo

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Comments
Innovation
Functionality
Creativity
Eco-Social Impact
Total
JURY VOTES
House
4.94
5.81
5.09
5.68
5.38
Mijail Gutierrez
Mijail Gutierrez Principal and Design Director at Perkins and Will
5
5
6
6
5.5
Christophe Penasse
Christophe Penasse Cofounder at Masquespacio
6.65
7.14
5
8.04
6.71
Hongchao Wang
Hongchao Wang Creative Director and Cofounder at Benwu Studio
6.02
6.06
5.65
7.13
6.22
Kim Tchai
Kim Tchai Founder and CEO at Tchai International
5
5.96
5
6.79
5.69
Geoffrey Timmer
Geoffrey Timmer Creative director at Colliers
6
7
6.5
6
6.38
Raquel Machado
Raquel Machado Senior Design Associate at M Moser Associates
5
5
5
5
5
Miriam Zuurbier
Miriam Zuurbier Associate Partner and Creative Director at TANK
6
6
5.5
5
5.63
Güray Oskay
Güray Oskay Director of Architectural Design at ATÖLYE
5
6
5.5
6.5
5.75
Rosha Ehsan
Rosha Ehsan Head of Design at Gastronomica Middle East
A simple yet conscious selection of...
5.61
8
7.5
7.01
7.03
Madhubala Ayyamperumal
Madhubala Ayyamperumal Design Experience Leader at Gensler
Tranquil design experience with a f...
6
7
7
6
6.5
Haijie Hu
Haijie Hu Cofounder and Creative Director at VAVE Studio
6.69
6.49
6.42
6.22
6.46
Jio Li
Jio Li Founder and Design Director at a9 architects
5.91
6.91
6.02
6.69
6.38
Elliot March
Elliot March Cofounder at MAWD
5.39
6.93
5.48
5.3
5.78
Kamna Malik
Kamna Malik Design Curator & Content Strategist at Kamna Malik
6
6
6
6
6
Dan Wang
Dan Wang Cofounder and CEO at Prominence Consulting Group and PLUTO
5.13
7.88
5.89
5
5.98
Client
Confidential
Floor area
1056 ㎡
Completion
2020
Budget
-
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Furniture

Ochre House 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. This house was built for a family of five, and as such, every space caters for the needs of each of them. Aside from the essentials, the project includes separate studios with independent access for both parents, a games room for the children, a TV room to watch games with family and friends, and a large kitchen and garden, since they love to cook and entertain. 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 became an orchard. The house is designed so that sunlight pours in from two directions in a way that natural light itself contains the space. The large, mullioned windows in each room imbue the surroundings with a classic touch; these combine with the bespoke furniture and oak-wood floors and ceilings to create a cozy ambience. The exterior walls are clad with quarry stone cut in different lengths, and such materiality is transferred into the main interior walls, defining the space’s character. Their texture offers a contrast with the smooth cement-sand finishes found along the neutral tones of the rooms. The interior design project was all custom designed by the firm. The kitchen floor, for example, is a pattern created with laser-cut iron and cast concrete. The different objects that were selected for each space, such 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. Smart systems for lighting, audio and heating optimize the house’s electric use. The space is comprised of a continuous dialogue between light, materiality, and 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. An iron 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. Throughout the interior, the use of oak wood tones, quarry stone, furnishings, subtle lightning design and natural light creates a play of ochre tones, a quality that gives the project its name.