BC House by GLR Arquitectos – Gilberto L. Rodríguez
GLR Arquitectos – Gilberto L. Rodríguez have completed the BC House in Monterrey, Mexico.
Full description after the photos….

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BC House by GLR Arquitectos – Gilberto L. Rodríguez
Monterrey, Nuevo León, México 2009
Description:
Our project is in a privileged topographic situation, due to its visual condition of greater height in relation to the surrounding neighbors. This allows the house to enjoy excellent vistas towards the National Park of Chipinque in the south, as well as towards all of the east, which is dominated in the horizon by the “Cerro de la Silla”, an emblematic hill in the boundaries of the city of Monterrey.
The proposed access to the site is located in the North side of it, ascending through a long slope that leads you to the highest level, where the floor plan is located.
With simple, pure geometric volumes, but rather challenging structural solutions, our project intends to evoke an image of lightness within a language of heavy and massive volumes.
Although color does not have yet an important presence in our work, this project takes an important step forward into the exploration of new materials, as it is the black granite and the white exposed concrete, in addition to the personality that the great amount of exposed steel elements gives to the building.
Finally, it is important to mention that beyond its bio-climatic function, the implementation of green roofs as a way to integrate the landscape, trying to conserve the natural surroundings of the zone, always dominated by the presence of the splendid Sierra Madre mountain range.
Sustainability
The house was conceived like a “Sustainable House” since the beginning, so it has a study on energetic efficiency, which analyzes the sun trajectory and the prevailing winds in diverse seasons of the year.
As a result of these studies, the house has diverse systems of isolation, like its double walls with poliisocianurate, an ecological insulator; double windows with low emissivity (Low-E) glass; systems of pluvial water harvesting and gray water treatment for irrigation, solar paddles for pool heating and garden illumination, solar water heaters, hydronic heating systems to reduce the power consumption, south oriented skylights, as well as a landscape project with native vegetation.
Project Team:
Felipe Dorado
Tomas Güereña
Joaquin Jenis
Oscar O’Farrill
Diana Guerra
Photography:
Jorge Taboada
www.ideacubica.com
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Jared on 14 Apr 2010 at 10:25 pm #
Love the design but wish there were some interior shots.
Sarah on 15 Apr 2010 at 5:05 pm #
I agree with Jared, I really was hoping to see some pictures of the inside
cocteau on 15 Apr 2010 at 8:17 pm #
very nice house, very nice pictures, any interior pictures???
Filip Galiza on 16 Apr 2010 at 4:08 pm #
Lovely shell, but what do the guts look like? Are they still building it? Dear architects, give us some interior visuals.
marshen on 17 Apr 2010 at 12:02 am #
Just once I would like to see a photo of the housekeeper out cleaning all these glass outdoor balcony railings on all of these over the top houses.
I like the dark grey slate paired with the bare concrete. Where are the interior shots? From what I can tell, the only interesting space looks like the entry foyer.
Ajani on 17 Apr 2010 at 9:24 am #
Beautifully-executed architecture.
I wish I had a house like this.
Daniel on 18 Apr 2010 at 10:11 am #
Polyisocyanurate is far from being an ecological insulator. Its production requires even more energy than polyurethane which is bad enough.
TW on 20 Apr 2010 at 4:50 am #
Good point Daniel.
I also wish architects would stop paying lip service to sustainability when they are building houses this big. The most sustainable house is a small house. This one looks to be a monster size.
Rob Williams on 20 Apr 2010 at 5:36 pm #
I think this is a master piece house…!! amazing, beauty and very good executed!
Congrats architects!
E. Condobleeme on 21 Apr 2010 at 9:22 am #
So very beautiful, exquisite is indeed the perfect word.
Monika Häfelfinger on 21 Apr 2010 at 9:41 am #
THIS IS ARCHITECTURE !
M. Stolarski on 21 Apr 2010 at 9:43 am #
A great and simple design with very strong details! Beautiful! Well Done!
Owen on 21 Apr 2010 at 10:26 am #
It seems very big house in a small town! I´ve never been in mexico but I know there´s a very kind weather. I like the cantilevers, there´s like four of them! I see this built with white concrete, steel and some type of natural stones! Congrats! I also need watch interior pics anyway,…
Victoria Meyers on 21 Apr 2010 at 10:27 am #
this has to be my favourite building in years!!! it’s got a powerful simplicity that commends the space around…
LM Gatto on 21 Apr 2010 at 2:29 pm #
Expressive, expensive, glass and concrete, questionable. this is almost PURE architecture. Love it or leave it (quickly).
Deeana Loe on 22 Apr 2010 at 7:32 am #
finally interior shots! Thanks architects, it was worth to wait, the staircase is AMAIZING!!!
Beautiful architecture, CONGRATULATIONS!! i would love to live there!
Daniel on 26 Apr 2010 at 9:42 pm #
@OWEN
Actually, this is Monterrey, the third biggest city in Mexico (population 3.7 million). The weather is not kind at all. It’s hot and humid almost all year around (up to 45ºC/113ºF). It’s placed on one of the hill tops which gives it it’s exclusive views.
It’s not that I don’t like it (it’s beautiful!) but I doubt it’s sustainability. It’s got a lot of unprotected windows.
Vanessa Bonghanoy on 18 May 2010 at 10:31 pm #
wow… this house is sure nice to live in.
SD on 25 May 2010 at 3:27 am #
I love the house, simple forms and materials. Love the inner staircase with the glass handrail detail. The only thing I noticed was that the entrance foyer to such a magnificent house is too discreet, a group of stairs with a hidden door. The foyer could have been a little more prominent, I feel.
Congrats on the amazing work anyway!!
lutheras on 07 Jul 2010 at 1:24 am #
Polyisocyanurate is far from being an ecological insulator. Its production requires even more energy than polyurethane which is bad enough.