Facts
1130 square feet (105 square meters) A/C area with 850 square feet (79 square meters) garage and 484 square feet (45 square meters) roof deck plus hardscaped terraces and outdoor living areas
Completion Summer 2019
La Ventana, BCS, Mexico
Location
The Main House of Casa de los Cardones shares a double lot with the Guest House and is located seaward to the East. The one-story design blends with the desert landscape and preserves views from the Guest House's upper level. Upon entering the site, the project is divided into two buildings separated by a large central courtyard. The private areas to the left are more screened and the public areas to the right open onto the court. Above the garage a hot tub and lounge area with a firepit look out onto the Sea of Cortez.
Structure
Like other Strata Design projects, the Main House of Casa de los Cardones uses a fully-insulated Novidesa wall, floor and roof structural system. The uninsulated garage is traditional block and concrete roof. The interior-outdoor flow allows for interior spaces to blend with the exterior, and terraced patios gently move down to grade. Natural stone walls in the living room and the master suite and cantilevered glass guardrails at the stair and roof deck add a modern touch.
Sustainability
An open floor plan and passive design allows for natural cooling during the months when this is possible. A 3.0kW PV solar array is grid-tied and supplies almost all the power needed by the house. The fully-insulated Novidesa construction system lowers overall energy consumption all year round. Novidesa Insulated Concrete Formwork panel construction has higher R-value than building code in the US Northeast and Northwest, and is the only system that provides insulated roof construction. By protecting the house from solar heat gain and the roof level it is possible to increase comfort and further reduce the need for mechanical cooling.
Interiors
The Main House features a range of custom interiors and accents. The kitchen is a systems kitchen with white and natural finishes, and a natural, sealed granite countertop. The appliances are imported and designed to integrate into the cabinetry. The bathrooms have modern stainless steel fixtures and lighting. The lighting and dimmer package is imported from the US and features Lutron dimming switched throughout the house. Lighting is by AspectLED, and imported from the US. Natural travertine tiles from Veracruz covers the outdoor terraces and master bedroom suite. Beautiful custom solid, natural parota interior doors throughout add a deep tone to the light modern finish palette. Gardens and landscaping elements are interwoven throughout the project, bringing the outdoors in.
