What is a Cocina-Selva? Check out this new concept, that maybe you’ll want to copy

This project by Manuel Cervantes is a good example of contemporary Mexican architecture, with a repertoire of textures and materials that, in a subtle way, speak of the tradition of the place.

Manuel Cervantes named this house after “Tepetate,” the reddish limestone soil commonly found in the volcanic regions of Mexico. “Tepetate is the color of the soil, it reminds us of the place where we are,” Cervantes explains. This color appears in the pigmented concrete partitions of its volumes, creating an earthy backdrop for the green foliage that envelops the house. Special attention was paid to the site and the natural surroundings, using natural local materials combined with architectural elements rooted in their environment. Inside, the dialogue between repetition and variation is key to the work of this acclaimed architect.

Ribbed concrete ceilings are repeated throughout the building, forming a rectilinear pattern. These structural elements, characterized by long slats, add a rustic element to the urban dwelling immersed in nature. The soul of this house is its jungle kitchen, not for nothing is the owner a chef who loves to gather friends and family around his table.

Green patios and local black volcanic lava stone interspersed with tropical succulent plants allow the indoor and outdoor spaces to breathe and interconnect. Wood floors and black volcanic black Recinto Negro black volcanic stone paving continue the dialogue with the site. And inside, according to the architect, “the furniture and materials are abstractions of the folklore of our culture. It is a minimal abstraction of our traditional houses“. An architecture that expresses in its modernity an immense knowledge of Mexican culture.

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