Now, this is our idea of a tree house! While not technically in a tree, this cool house design is made of wood and surrounded by forest – probably about as close to a tree house as you’ll come here in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, without compromising on any luxury. This design by architect Alejandro Sanchez Garcia was made to enjoy indoors and out, and with a lush location like this, the exterior environment becomes as much the focus as the house itself. Here’s a sneak peek at this private paradise:
This resort-style house peeks out from among the trees with a quiet luxury you can’t ignore. Its floor-to-ceiling glass walls lend natural sunlight and an openness to interiors that brings them into the outdoors.
The angled roof creates a larger facade on one side, tilting up to maximizing the views and natural light coming in from outside.
On the down-tilt, a deep roof overhang provides shelter from the sun and the rain. The covered terrace runs the length of the house, offering an all-weather alfresco living and lounging spot complete with casual furnishings, and the most basic resort essential of them all – a hammock!
The uneven terrain meant the house had to be raised on stilts. A natural palette of materials – wood, glass, steel – creates an strong connection to the land.
A landscaped garden grows organically around a small pond – a nice, natural water feature in the woods. It’s all tucked into a private corner surrounded by the terrace.
A sheltered outdoor walkway leads into the house, providing a wonderfully woody welcome, and a small sample of what you’ll find inside.
The wood walkway leads around the home, offering breathtaking views to your left and right – the fresh green forest on one side, the home’s earthy interiors on the other.
Exposed wood trusses line the underside of the roof, moving from the sheltered terraces, through the glass walls and into the interior living areas of the home.
Whether you find yourself inside or out, the same rustic, casual style prevails. There is an equal alfresco version to every traditional interior room of this house – an outdoor living area, a cooking area complete with a barbecue, a dining “room” and hammocks set up for a snooze after a big meal. What more could you ask for?
Just kick back and bask in the sun, the shade, and the cool breeze blowing through these open terraces and into the house through sliding glass doors.
The roof even extends over a garden area, but with a rather large skylight cut into it to sustain sunny conditions for the plants below.
Inside, windows between the roof trusses create an outdoor feeling, letting light spill down into every nook and cranny inside.
Even the home’s materials take a cue from nature, wrapping you in wood and glass overlooking the landscaped grounds. But it’s a refined version of the raw nature that surrounds the house.
Wood clad ceilings and walls, and rich wood floors are as warm on your feet and on the eyes.
Interiors and exteriors are finished in the same kind of style, which can only be described as earthy elegance, natural and comfortable.
And as easily as you made your way inside, you quickly find yourself outdoors again. Just pass through any of the glass doors and you’re once again left to wander the alfresco hallways that wind their way around the house and past the forest.
Of course, the best place to appreciate nature is in it – we love this large cantilevered deck, leading you right into the treetops, it would appear.
By night, the windows glow warmly against the cool dewy vegetation.
Here’s a site plan of the property:
Alejandro Sanchez Garcia
via Freshome
photo credit: Jaime Navarro
