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Glazed upper level of Casa Pasiddhi

Rojkind Arquitectos elevates a "snake-shaped" home over central garden

A team led by Rojkind Arquitectos has completed Casa Pasiddhi, an elevated home that winds around a plant-filled garden in Mexico's Hacienda de Valle Escondido.

Rojkind Arquitectos designed the home in collaboration with architects Agustin Pereyra and Inocente Colectivo.

Glazed upper level of Casa Pasiddhi
Casa Pasiddhi is organised over two levels around a garden

The building is organised around a "snake-shaped" element – an elevated passageway that circles the centre of the garden.

This creates the impression that the house is largely floating above the landscape.

Rear elevation of Casa Pasiddhi
The rear elevation holds the primary living areas and leads onto a concrete terrace

In fact, the arrangement is more like a series of bridges connecting the living spaces on the ground and first-floor levels.

"The concept was determined by the client's desires for privacy, as well as the desire to live surrounded by gardens," explained Agustin Pereyra.

Facade of Casa Pasiddhi
Living spaces are organised by an elevated, looping passageway

Pereyra also noted that the elevated walkway was in large part an adaptation of the form to the slope of the site.

The "meandering element" encircles and shelters the garden element in the middle of the property.

Courtyard garden framed by Casa Pasiddhi
This structure has a black, fluted concrete exterior

The effect is emphasised by the choice of materials. While the living spaces are glazed and open, the passageway is housed within a solid volume of fluted, black concrete.

Skylights allow light to filter into the structure from above, allowing the lighting conditions inside to be more dynamic, while three staircases link it with the garden level below.

Elevated corner of Casa Pasiddhi
Three staircases lead up from the garden to the first-floor living spaces

Rooms are organised into various self-contained zones. The idea was to give the family flexibility for the future, making it possible for part of the house to be separated and rented out.

The ground floor block contains a large, open-plan living room, kitchen and dining space, plus utility areas that lead onto the rear terrace.

Meanwhile, the upper level contains a mix of lounge rooms, bedrooms and study areas.

The rooftop is also accessible at the first-floor level. One of the owners, who is a certified yoga instructor, hosts classes here.

Living space of Casa Pasiddhi
Some areas can be separated off so that parts of the house could be rented out in future

"Upon entering the house, the main garden is discovered, in which all the views and social activities of the family are centred," said Pereyra.

"From this space you access the upper floor, where the different spaces appear discreetly along the way."

Staircase of Casa Pasiddhi
Skylights bring daylight into the darker interior spaces

At a time when working from home is more popular than ever, and families are increasingly demanding more flexibility from their living spaces, Pereyra believes the project can show a different approach.

"Casa Pasiddhi rethinks the way a traditional home for a close family is lived in," he said.

Yoga on the roof of Casa Pasiddhi
A roof terrace can be used for yoga classes

"The diversity of spaces, the seclusion between them, the ability to autonomously access different areas of the house, and the confluence in the locations of coexistence – these allow us to conceive numerous methods of cohabiting, for example, when children grow up and leave their homes."

"As one walks around Casa Pasiddhi, you can imagine the possibilities of cohabitation," he added.

Casa Pasiddhi is among a handful of residential projects that Rojkind Arquitectos has produced since architect Michel Rojkind founded the studio in 2002. Others include a stone house Amanali.

The photography is by Jaime Navarro.


Project credits

Architects: Rojkind Arquitectos, Agustin Pereyra, Inocente Colectivo
Rojkind Arquitectos team: Michel Rojkind, Ruth Díaz, Eli Ambris, Victor Cruz, Victor Martinez, Daniel Flores, Arie Willem, Adrian Kreslik, Edgar Aurioles, Gerardo Salinas, Adrían Aguilar, Andrea León
Agustin Pereyra team: Agustin Pereyra, Roxana León
Inocente Colectivo team: Paulina Goycoolea, Alfonso Paz
Structural engineer:Juan Felipe Heredia
MEP: Germán Muñoz
Landscape consultant: PA-AR Taller, Paola López, Carlos Ríos
Custom installations: NTX, Jaime Freyria

More images and plans

Exterior of Casa Pasiddhi
Black fluted concrete of Casa Pasiddhi
Fluted concrete detail of Casa Pasiddhi
Casa Pasiddhi
Glazed upper level of Casa Pasiddhi
Fluted concrete detail of Casa Pasiddhi
Terrace of Casa Pasiddhi
Casa Pasiddhi
Window of Casa Pasiddhi
Interior of Casa Pasiddhi
Window of Casa Pasiddhi
Night view of Casa Pasiddhi
Night view of Casa Pasiddhi