The project, designed by Jaime Guzmán Creative Group, features a basement that houses a separate living space with direct street access, as well as parking and service areas. On the ground floor, a central courtyard acts as a hub connecting the living room, dining room, kitchen, office, and outdoor terraces. The second level comprises the master and secondary bedrooms, while the third level functions as a separate apartment.
The materiality is defined by a restrained and timeless palette. Concrete dominates both the interior and exterior, and wood is used for floors and ceilings. Steel complements the structural system and is integrated into visible elements that lend precision and lightness. Key technical features include concrete beam walls that resolve large cantilevers, a hydronic heating system, comprehensive home automation, rainwater harvesting for irrigation and reflecting pools, and the incorporation of solar panels.
Ailes house by Jaime Guzmán Creative Group. Photograph by Rafael Gamo.
Project description by Jaime Guzmán Creative Group
Casa Ailes is a residential project by Jaime Guzmán Creative Group located in an exclusive gated community in Mexico City. Conceived as a retreat, its design is based on the idea of developing a solid facade as an expressive element, defined by six projecting concrete volumes that structure playful spaces from the void created within. Its design responds to the immediate context with a dual strategy: a closed facade facing the street that guarantees privacy, and a controlled opening towards the garden and city views. As a result, the architectural composition is characterized by the contrast between solidity and lightness, both in the distribution of spaces and in the application of materials. At the main entrance, a reflecting pool frames the entrance and reflects the concrete volumes, creating a visual effect that accentuates the geometry.
Jaime Guzmán's design process begins with a methodological analysis of the client's activities and needs, allowing for the development of creative and specific solutions for each project. In Ailes' case, the clients required open and interconnected social spaces, as well as a living area completely separate from the private quarters, where their teenage daughters could gather freely. To meet this need, a basement was designed to house a speakeasy with street access, allowing guests to enter independently without disrupting the family dynamic. This level also contains a large parking area and the service areas, whose layout follows the structure of the upper floors.
Upon entering the ground floor, one arrives at a foyer covered by smoked glass bridges that connect the upper levels and reinforce a sense of vertical spaciousness. The horizontal connection follows a similar principle, with a series of social spaces interwoven around a central courtyard that acts as the organizing axis of the house, ensuring a balanced distribution of natural light and fluid ventilation. In this courtyard, located half a level above the living room, a vertical concrete block houses an elevator, integrated into the design to ensure that the parents, now in their fifties, can continue to live comfortably in the house for years to come.
A hallway connects the entrance to the garden via gentle changes in level, linking the ground floor with the vertical circulation and providing access to the office, family room, living room, and kitchen. The large windows blur the boundaries between interior and exterior, seamlessly integrating the social areas with the outdoor space.
The living room connects to both the central courtyard and the main terrace, the latter opening onto the garden and protected from Mexico City's harsh weather by a large concrete overhang. On the upper level, this element houses the master bedroom and is constructed with concrete beam walls, a structural solution that ensures stability and formal continuity.
The landscape is carefully integrated, with vegetation framing entrances and terraces, providing natural shade, improving air quality, and creating a respite within the city.
Access to the second level is via a solid block of stairs clad in marble on the floor and ceiling, leading to glass bridges supported by a steel structure. Toward the northwest end, the youngest daughter's room takes advantage of the extruded space in the main facade to incorporate storage, bookshelves, and seating areas, while to the southwest, the master bedroom opens onto the garden, featuring a spacious walk-in closet and a bathroom with a ceramic bathtub offering views of the outdoors. On this same level, a laundry room is integrated for handling linens and clothing, thus optimizing household management.
The third level functions as an independent apartment within the house, providing the eldest daughter with the degree of autonomy her parents desired. It is accessed via a staircase that, as it ascends, allows natural light to enter and frames the western landscape of the city. The eldest daughter's bedroom faces the main facade, while at the opposite end is the main family room with access to a terrace surrounded by vegetation, offering panoramic views. This space incorporates a steel screen with a folding mechanism, designed to flexibly modulate privacy, lighting, and temperature. Its mechanism allows it to be fully opened or closed, adapting to the desired atmosphere inside.
The materials used in the project seek to emphasize the contrasts of the architectural concept through a restrained and timeless palette that conveys balance, modernity, luxury, and comfort. Exposed concrete is the dominant material at Casa Ailes, providing a rough and expressive texture with a uniform tone both inside and out, which presented one of the project's main challenges. This material, with its cool character, contrasts with the warmth of the wood used for floors and ceilings, creating a homey feel. Steel is part of the structural system and is integrated into interior details, contributing solidity to the construction along with a sense of lightness and precision in visible elements.
The interior design, by Mariana Rivera, complements the architecture with a carefully curated selection of furniture and art. Pieces by Mexican and Italian designers were incorporated, achieving a coherent balance of color and materials. A central piece stands out in the living room: a Japanese kimono embellished with gold paint on a lead canvas by the artist Mayte Guzmán. This piece, in addition to its great artistic value, reinforces the Zen and wabi-sabi influence on the home's aesthetic.
Casa Ailes incorporates advanced energy efficiency and sustainability systems. Hydronic heating ensures an optimal indoor climate without drying out the air, while a home automation system allows for the control of lighting and entertainment from mobile devices, facilitating the management of indoor comfort. In addition, the house features a rainwater harvesting system for reuse in reflecting pools, irrigation, and car washing, as well as solar panels that help reduce electricity consumption, bringing the house closer to energy self-sufficiency. These systems improve the home's energy performance and reflect the commitment of both the clients and the firm to sustainability and respect for the environment.
Casa Ailes exemplifies Jaime Guzmán Creative Group's holistic approach to design, resulting in a project that transcends its residential function. The quality of its spaces, the attention to detail in every material transition, and its deep connection with the lifestyle of its inhabitants make this home a carefully executed architectural work, reflecting a design philosophy that values harmony with the environment and the well-being of its users.
