Mexican architecture studio Michan Architecture has designed a residential complex named “ODP”, on a plot with a slight slope, located in the southwest area of Mexico City.
 
The characteristics of the land condition the construction of the housing complex, which is made up of two volumes arranged perpendicular to each other, forming an L, in order to orient the apartments with the best views and orientation.
The L-shaped arrangement of the buildings designed by Michan Architecture generates a central garden as part of the free area of the complex, adding several common areas on the ground floor, such as the swimming pool, gym or multipurpose room are some of the recreational areas. The complex has 62 units of different types; One, two and three bedrooms, with different types of spaces, balconies and views.
 
A part of the façade is made of exposed concrete with small openings that are used as light sources to some circulation areas of the building. The rest of the façade surfaces are clad vertically with travertine stripes across various widths, producing a façade with a constant play of light and shadow.

ODP by Michan Architecture. Photograph by Rafael Gamo.


ODP by Michan Architecture. Courtesy by Michan Architecture.
 

Project description by Michan Architecture

ODP is a residential complex located in the southwestern area of Mexico City. The land has a slope and a natural ravine in its north orientation, which becomes the heart of the project.

Due to the geometry of the property, the scheme is made up of two towers arranged perpendicular to each other, forming an L and managing to locate the apartments with optimal views and orientation. Between the towers a central garden is generated as part of the free area of the project.

The development has 62 units of different types; One, two and three bedrooms, with different types of spaces, balconies and views. On the ground floor are located the common areas such as gardens, gym, multipurpose room, playroom, swimming pool and a natural ravine four levels below the sidewalk level.

ODP by Michan Architecture. Courtesy by Rafael Gamo.

The building is structured on the basis of partitions with rigid frames and reinforced concrete walls, which are transferred to concrete columns in the two basements below the ground floor.
 
In the corridors of the tower that adjoins the street, an apparent concrete façade is created. This element has small openings to illuminate circulation areas to the units and services of the departments. The voids fade into the concrete surface and appear as scratches in the concrete. The rest of the façade surfaces are clad vertically with travertine stripes across various widths, producing a façade with a constant play of light and shadow.

More information

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Architects
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Michan Architecture. Architect.- Isaac Michan.
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Project team
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Narciso Martinez, Arturo Lezama, Omar Acevedo, Denise Peralta, Daniela Ruiz, Ciria García.
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Collaborators
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Engineering.- Estructura, Montes de Oca Ingenieros consultores, s.c.
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Area
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8,716 m².
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Dates
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2018.
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Location
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Av Toluca 921, San José del Olivar, Olivar de los Padres, 01780 Mexico City. Mexico.
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Photography
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Michan Architecture is a studio based in Mexico City founded in 2010. The practice operates as a laboratory of architecture, exploring new possibilities within the discipline. They see architecture as a flirtation towards the built environment; a question towards the norm, a speculation of what the future can be.  

The studio has been awarded by the Architectural League of New York with The League Prize for Young Architects + Designers 2020. In 2019 they are recipients of  Design Vanguard award from Architectural Record Magazine, which honors 10 emerging practices from around the world. "That are demonstrating inventive approaches to shaping the built environment." DL1310 Apartment Building designed in collaboration with Young & Ayata received the 2019 Progressive Architecture Award from Architect Magazine. AL apartment received the American Architecture Prize in residential architecture 2017. In 2015 Z53 Social Housing won an Architizer Award, for Low cost housing. The work of the studio has been widely published and exhibit.

The practice is led by Isaac Michan Daniel. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Universidad Iberoamericana with studies at RMIT and a Master of Science in Architecture from Pratt Institute.He has taught at Universidad Anahuac, Universidad Iberoamericana and the AA Visiting School in Mexico City.

They pursue architecture as a material practice, hybridizing local craft with digital and analogue thinking. The work is a reaction to existing conditions, it strives to find a fine balance for the familiar, yet at precise completely weird. For us this midpoint is where the work is able to speak with the past without copying the recipes, while looking forward for new ways to misbehave mater and tectonics.

Since 2010 the studio has received the valuable contribution of the following people: Narciso Martinez, Eduardo Lorenzana, Denise Peralta,  Arturo Lezama, Alan Eskildsen, Omar Acevedo, Ciria Garcia, Elizabeth Frias, Daniel Amkie, Tamara Cortez, Jorge Sanchez, Juan Alan Gonzales, Daniela Ruiz, Victor Lima, Ehecatl Cabrera, Roman Vicenteño, Sonja Cabrera, Poleth Luna, Jose Luis Ramos, Montserrat Garciacesar, Christian Morales.
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Published on: June 23, 2023
Cite: "Combinations of concrete and travertine to create houses. ODP by Michan Architecture" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/combinations-concrete-and-travertine-create-houses-odp-michan-architecture> ISSN 1139-6415
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