Gallery: Beautiful Modern Home Keeps Cool Buried Beneath the Chihuahuan...

Desert temperatures can quickly change from extremely hot to extremely cold within a matter of hours. So when designing this modern home in Mexico, the architects of Productora decided to build a house that could take on the climate of the Chihuahuan desert. Built partially underground to take advantage of the soil's thermal mass, the building, which is also situated in a golf club community, slopes just slightly on the land to blend amicably with the local topography.

Located in the northern part of Mexico, the ‘House in Chihuahua’ is a white concrete and glass sloping roof building boasting rooftop views to the city. Since the dwelling is within a traditional community, regulations stated that at least 80% of the roof had to be inclined to avoid a ‘modern’ architectural aesthetic. Therefore Productora reinterpreted the rules, building a set of sloping roofs as one continuous surface.

The different inclines of the roofs provide shelter and great outdoor terraces to enjoy the desert views and deep blue Mexican sky. The concrete shell naturally absorbs daytime heat releasing it to the building during the night, saving the home energy when the temperatures drop fast. A series of big windows, outdoor patios and varied height terraces provide the house with plenty of natural light, ventilation, and of course, spectacular views of the surrounding environment.

From the street side, the building is only perceived as a single white volume with wooden shutters, but upon entering the shelter, the interior transforms into a complex and dynamic space. The different sized rooms are all bundled together beaneath a set of sloping roofs to create an artificial topography that merges with the natural surroundings.

+ Productora

Photo © Iwan Baan


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  1. kjscarpati April 10, 2012 at 8:40 am

    I pwn 10 acres in the Texas Chihuahua Desert. Can I build a house similar to this.

  2. Green Joy December 3, 2011 at 1:37 am

    Fascinating design. You’d think it would require more heating because of the large quantities of windows, but as the article said, the designer already accounted for that. Less energy consumption = less gas and coal burned. Good job!

    Juan Miguel Ruiz (Going Green)

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