A striking new residential project has been completed on the banks of the Celio River in Jacona, Michoacán, Mexico. The Jacona House, designed by architectural firm TAAB and led by architects Diego Torres Guízar and Diana Ortiz Moreno, showcases an innovative approach to site-responsive design on a uniquely challenging triangular plot of land.
The 600-square-meter house, completed in 2025, sits on an unusual triangular site with one curved edge that mirrors the adjacent riverbank. This distinctive geometry directly influenced the architectural concept, with the perimeter wall arising from and responding to the natural contours of the land. The wall system folds, opens to welcome visitors, and then wraps around the carefully planned gardens in a movement that draws inspiration from the flowing river adjacent to the property.
The architectural program is thoughtfully organized into two distinct wings that are connected and articulated by a central garden located at the main entrance. The first wing faces northeast and extends along the longest side of the triangular site, developing over two levels to maximize the unique plot configuration. The ground floor of this wing houses the master bedroom and an impressive library space, while an innovative bookshelf door conceals access to an underground wine cellar, adding an element of surprise and depth to the interior journey. The upper floor contains well-appointed guest rooms that offer views of the surrounding landscape.
The second wing, strategically positioned to the south, contains the home's primary living spaces including the kitchen, dining room, and main living area. These essential daily spaces are enhanced by their connection to a dramatic cantilevered porch that extends outward to protect the interior from rain while filtering and softening the intense morning sunlight that characterizes the region.
Materiality plays a crucial role in defining the character of the Jacona House. The exterior wall that embraces the structure is constructed entirely of granite, chosen for its dark, dense properties that evoke ideas of refuge and shade while providing thermal mass. The interior spaces feature earthen walls with a traditional burnished finish complemented by exposed wooden beams, materials that directly reference the vernacular architecture of the Michoacán region while providing warmth and cultural memory to the contemporary design.
Lighting design, both natural and artificial, has been carefully orchestrated to work in harmony with the architecture. The lighting strategy follows the building's folds, angles, and curves with measured precision, enhancing the spatial experience while highlighting the interplay between interior and exterior spaces.
The landscape design grows organically from the architectural concept, functioning as what the architects describe as 'an extended breath.' Native plantings including pirules, agaves, papelillos, and caliandras surround the house, creating dynamic movement as they sway with the wind and filter natural light throughout the day. From the purposefully dimmed interior spaces, residents can engage with the sensory aspects of the landscape: observing the gentle movement of leaves, experiencing the earthy aroma of freshly watered gardens, and listening to the subtle murmur of branches in the breeze.
Rather than serving merely as decorative elements, the landscape features interact directly with the built environment, providing natural illumination, ventilation, and structure to the living experience. Through carefully planned openings and transparent surfaces, nature penetrates the domestic spaces, becoming a visual culmination of interior pathways and helping to articulate transitions between different areas of the home.
The project team included interior designer Estudio Karla Vázquez, structural engineer Daniel Torres Barragán, and construction managers Austreberto Zarco Contreras and Eduardo García García. The completed house represents a sophisticated balance between the tectonic and organic elements, making the passage of seasons visible within the living spaces while adding natural presence, movement, and life to the everyday experience of the residents. Photography of the completed project was captured by César Belio, documenting how the landscape breathes, accompanies, and transforms the daily domestic experience.
