ShoeMaker House Designed by Architect Jaime Huarez in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Project: ShoeMaker House
Architects: Jamie Huarez R. Architect
Location: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Area: 2,594 sq ft
Photography: Cesar Belio

ShoeMaker House Designed by Architect Jaime Huarez in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

The ShoeMaker House is a beautiful modern vacation home built in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. It was designed by architect Jamie Huarez R. and offers over 2500 square feet of modern living spaces surrounded by abundant natural landscapes.

Located in San Miguel de Allende (Mexico), the ShoeMaker House is a holiday home built on top of a notable semi-arid slope; this final element served as the basis for creative development and helps achieve a balanced perspective between low cost and functionality. Our goal was to use regional conditions and climate, solving the project with two separate volumetric constructions.

The first volume is presented as an open concrete base supporting the structure, while on the other hand it achieves budget goals using low-cost materials and minimizing future maintenance requirements.

Regarding materials, the project is defined by a combination of exposed concrete in various forms, giving buildings a clean, elegant and modest appearance. The material palette allows colors and textures to blend with the natural landscape, context and surroundings. Construction becomes unified with vegetation and sky. Unfinished concrete allowed us to design on its textures and shades, imposing a solid character on the house while at the same time distinguishing and contrasting both levels naturally.

The entrance is on the upper floor. The user encounters a framing visual finish facing south; this frame was a priority in design and structure to create a welcoming feeling upon entering the building. Inside, raw materials and their neutral tones constantly enhance visibility of external panoramas and their natural environments. One of the main goals of this project was to give the household a sense of belonging, creating homage and connection with family roots. Artistic elements and furniture designed by Don Shooker harmoniously blend with the construction context, where factory Señal© loungers especially stand out proudly and respectfully.

The architectural project highlights functional differences and features between these two floor sets. One section includes an intimate family social area, while the other provides recreational and guest zones. The main structure represents a rectangle separating the master bedroom and relaxation area, which consists of open space mixed with living room, dining room and kitchen.

Descending to the basement reveals an open concrete base. From which a graceful green tree grows from the ground, creating contrast in colors and shadows that allows this space to gain character and makes the tree a central role within the house; it can be seen from any position or viewpoint. The lower floor features a flexible space connected by two pathways. One is a spiral staircase leading to an open corridor connecting the guest bedroom and bathroom. The other consists of a concrete staircase starting from the upper structure serving as a communication path to the central courtyard; this element with its projecting steps is one of the most interesting visual finishes inside the building.

Adjacent water bodies and training paths create natural framing landscapes that constantly change; the landscapes are gently influenced by the flow of sunlight throughout the day, as well as seasons. This is achieved through floor-to-ceiling windows placed horizontally and protected by grids to reduce solar exposure. These blocking elements allow the windows to remain open and naturally ventilate interior spaces, controlling indoor temperature.

- Jamie Huarez R. Architect