- Project: House PF
- Architect: AE Arquitectos
- Location: Mexico, Zapopan, Jalisco
- Year: 2019
- Area: 684 m2
- Photography: Jesús López Cinco
A Contemporary Sanctuary in Zapopan
In the residential heart of Zapopan, House PF by AE Arquitectos redefines the idea of privacy and openness in modern living. Designed as a serene family retreat, this 684 m² residence balances introspection and fluidity — creating spaces that shield from the urban bustle while embracing light, air, and nature.
From the street, the home appears as a sculpted composition of clean horizontal lines and muted textures. Behind this quiet façade, however, lies a world of layered transparency, lush courtyards, and meticulously choreographed light. It is a home that speaks softly yet leaves a lasting impression — a hallmark of AE Arquitectos’ refined approach to timeless design.
Architectural Concept – A Home Built Around Life
The guiding concept behind House PF is connection without exposure. AE Arquitectos sought to create a refuge that encourages family interaction and openness while maintaining strong privacy from its surroundings.
The home’s plan unfolds around a central courtyard garden, which becomes the spiritual and spatial heart of the house. This courtyard brings natural light deep into the interior, establishes visual continuity across levels, and provides every major space with a green focal point.
The architects designed the layout as a dialogue between solid and void: volumes of concrete and wood frame air, shadow, and movement. The result is architecture that feels less like a series of rooms and more like a living organism — breathing, expanding, and adapting to the rhythms of daily life.
Spatial Organization – Layers of Intimacy
House PF is composed of three distinct levels, each addressing a different dimension of family life.
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The Ground Floor hosts the main living spaces — living room, dining area, and kitchen — arranged in an L-shape that opens directly to the central garden. Large glass doors slide open to dissolve the boundary between inside and out, creating a seamless flow for gatherings and quiet afternoons alike.
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The Upper Floor holds the private quarters. Bedrooms are oriented toward the landscape rather than the street, ensuring light and privacy in equal measure. Timber screens filter the sunlight, casting soft patterns that shift with the hours of the day.
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The Basement Level adds a hidden layer of leisure and retreat. It includes a wine cellar, entertainment area, and meditation space, all illuminated by sunken patios that introduce light and greenery into what would otherwise be underground.
Each level communicates through sightlines and vertical voids, allowing the architecture to remain visually connected while preserving acoustic and spatial intimacy.
Materiality – Concrete, Wood, and Warm Minimalism
AE Arquitectos employed a restrained material palette to reinforce the home’s sense of calm and permanence. Exposed concrete defines the structural framework, lending a sense of stability and groundedness. Against this solid base, the natural warmth of wood — in ceilings, panels, and built-in furniture — adds comfort and texture.
The contrast between these materials gives the architecture its character: cool and warm, raw and refined. The interplay of concrete and timber is further elevated by strategic use of glass, which brings light into even the most introspective spaces.
Subtle details — recessed lighting, crafted joinery, and shadow lines — reflect the studio’s precision-driven philosophy. Nothing is arbitrary; every element serves a sensory and spatial purpose.
Light and Nature – The Soul of the Design
Light is treated as architecture’s primary material in House PF. Each room captures daylight differently — diffused through timber slats, reflected off smooth concrete, or filtered through the leaves of the central tree.
The garden courtyard is both lung and lens: it cools the air, nourishes the senses, and frames moments of contemplation. The mature red oak near the entrance becomes a sculptural prelude, introducing the home’s rhythm of shadow, reflection, and stillness.
Throughout the day, sunlight traces across walls and floors like a slow-moving clock, constantly reshaping perception and mood. By night, indirect lighting transforms the same spaces into a tranquil sequence of glowing warmth.
Integration with Site
Set within the temperate climate of Zapopan, the house is designed for natural ventilation and seasonal comfort. Its elevated position filters noise and offers views while maintaining intimacy. Each terrace, patio, and corridor works as part of an environmental system — allowing cross-breezes, natural cooling, and diffused light to animate the interior.
Rather than overpowering its environment, House PF sits lightly upon it. The design respects the slope, preserves green zones, and uses its garden not as decoration but as an essential architectural element — a connective tissue between structure and earth.
A Reflection of AE Arquitectos’ Philosophy
For AE Arquitectos, architecture is an emotional experience as much as a technical one. In House PF, their philosophy materializes through proportion, restraint, and timeless detailing. The project demonstrates how a home can be both modern and soulful, monumental yet intimate — architecture that elevates everyday life through silence and precision.
House PF by AE Arquitectos embodies the essence of contemporary Mexican residential architecture — grounded, refined, and deeply human. It is a home that celebrates privacy without isolation, minimalism without coldness, and modernity without excess.
In a world of fleeting trends, House PF stands as a lasting statement of spatial clarity and emotional depth — a true work of architectural calm.
