Eight brutalist Mexican home interiors proving concrete isn’t always cold
CategoriesInterior Design

Eight brutalist Mexican home interiors proving concrete isn’t always cold

Raw concrete surfaces are softened by timber and plenty of daylight inside these Mexican houses, rounded up here as part of our latest lookbook.

Many of these brutalist interiors leave their concrete shells exposed and their cavernous rooms largely unadorned.

But freed of the constraints posed by frigid temperatures, they also create a greater connection to the outside, whether overlooking Puerto Escondido’s wave-swept beaches or nestled in the bustling metropolis of Mexico City.

Here, concrete surfaces help to create a sense of seamlessness between indoor and outdoor spaces – often separated only by removable partitions – while unfinished natural materials, such as wood or stone, are brought into the interior.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with exposed services, primary-coloured living spaces and houses with outdoor showers.


Casa Alférez, Cañada De Alferes, by Ludwig Godefroy in roundup on brutalist Mexican houses
Photo by Rory Gardiner

Casa Alférez, Cañada De Alferes, by Ludwig Godefroy

Tucked away in the forest outside Cañada De Alferes near Mexico City, this brutalist holiday home has a board-formed concrete shell.

This is left on display throughout its entire interior, all the way down to the bedrooms (top image) and the double-height lounge (above).

To bring a sense of homeliness to its otherwise spartan living spaces, architect Ludwig Godefroy added warm wooden floors and lush pops of green – as seen across upholstery and lighting fixtures.

Find out more about Casa Alférez ›


Casa del Sapo by Espacio 18 Arquitectura in Oaxaca, Mexico
Photo by Onnis Luque and Fabian Martinez

La Casa del Sapo, Playa Zapotengo, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura

The kitchen of this seafront home – set right on Oaxaca’s Zapotengo beach – can be merged with its neighbouring patio using a wide wooden folding door.

All-around concrete helps to underline this fusion, while also serving a practical function in the form of a kitchen island and matching shelves.

Find out more about La Casa del Sapo ›


The Hill in Front of the Glen, Morelia, by HW Studio
Photo by César Béjar

The Hill in Front of the Glen, Morelia, by HW Studio

Reminiscent of the Hobbit houses in JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, this sunken home is nestled into a hillside in the forests of Michoacán in central Mexico.

The building’s interiors are defined by its concrete vaulted ceilings, which can be seen in every room, while log benches and full-height glazing provide a visual link to the woodland outside.

Find out more about The Hill in Front of the Glen ›


Casa Mérida by Ludwig Godefroy
Photo by Rory Gardiner

Casa Mérida, Mérida, by Ludwig Godefroy

Mayan architecture and craftsmanship informed the design of this otherwise brutalist house in Yucatán state, which is considered the capital of the indigenous civilisation.

The home’s perimeter walls, for example, have joints covered in stone splinters that take cues from the design of Mayan pyramids and temples. These are left exposed on the interior alongside the concrete ceilings, creating a rich medley of architectural references.

Find out more about Casa Mérida ›


Pachua by PPAA from roundup on brutalist Mexican houses
Photo by Rafael Gamo

Pachuca Apartments, Mexico City, by PPAA

Concrete slabs pave both the patio and living spaces in this Mexico City house to create a sense of continuity, only separated by a full-height glass wall that can be completely pushed open.

On the interior, the rough concrete finishes are contrasted with details in American white oak, among them a long dining table as well as a staircase with treads that slot into a huge bookshelf.

Find out more about Pachuca Apartments ›


Casa UC, Morelia, by Daniela Bucio Sistos
Photo by Dane Alonso and Mariano Renteria Garnica

Casa UC, Morelia, by Daniela Bucio Sistos

Neutral colours and tactile materials are found throughout this home in the city of Morelia, including raw concrete ceilings and floors finished in a honey-toned tropical timber called caobilla.

In the library, the same wood was also used to form integrated shelves and a huge porthole window that can be pivoted open and closed like a door.

Find out more about Casa UC ›


Casa Aguacates, Valle de Bravo, by Francisco Pardo
Photo by Sandra Pereznieto

Casa Aguacates, Valle de Bravo, by Francisco Pardo

Mexican architect Francisco Pardo repurposed the pinewood formwork used in the process of constructing this concrete house to form a series of partition walls throughout the home.

The resulting interior layout is simple and fluid and centres on an open-plan kitchen, dining area and living room that open up onto a sunken garden.

Find out more about Casa Aguacates ›


ZIcatela House by Ludwig Godefroy
Photo by Rory Gardiner

Zicatela, Puerto Escondido, by Emmanuel Picault and Ludwig Godefroy

Set in the small surf town of Puerto Escondido, this weekend home accommodates its main living areas inside a covered patio and is made almost entirely of concrete.

The only exceptions are the doors and sliding louvred wood screens that can be used to open the space up to the gardens on either side, as well as a few sparse furnishings such as the low-slung dining table, which is made from a cross-sectioned tree trunk.

Find out more about Zicatela ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with exposed services, primary-coloured living spaces and houses with outdoor showers.

Reference

Superkül renovates reading room at Toronto’s brutalist Robarts Library
CategoriesInterior Design

Superkül renovates reading room at Toronto’s brutalist Robarts Library

Canadian studio Superkül has updated the reading room at the University of Toronto’s Robarts Library, a notable example of brutalist architecture.

The project involved renovating the cavernous concrete space on the building’s fourth floor, as part of the university’s larger initiative to revitalise the Robarts Library, which Superkül described as “one of North America’s most significant examples of brutalist architecture”.

Brutalist concrete library interior
The Brutalist concrete Robarts Library was built in 1973

Completed in 1973, the John P Robarts Research Library was designed by local architecture studio Mathers & Haldenby.

It is both the largest individual library at the University of Toronto and the largest academic library building in Canada.

New wooden seating elements
Superkül updated the spaces to better serve contemporary learning needs

As an important facility for students and faculty, the reading and study spaces required upgrades to meet contemporary learning styles and equipment, while remaining respectful to the heritage-listed architecture.

The project also needed to connect the original brutalist structure with the adjacent Robarts Common extension, completed by Diamond Schmitt Architects in September 2022.

Individual study stations
A variety of individual study stations were added to the double-height space

“We were tasked with an ambitious goal: to convert the space into a superior contemporary environment for quiet study, collaboration, and digital scholarship in a manner that complements the building’s exalted architectural language and supports accessibility, diversity, and wellness,” said Superkül.

Spread throughout the 20,300-square-foot (1,886-square-metre), double-height space are individual study areas, new digital stations, consultation rooms and two light therapy zones.

Concrete structure meets new insertions
Natural materials were chosen to bring warmth to the concrete building

Particular attention was paid to accessibility, through the addition of inclusive study spots that allow users to adjust desk heights, seating configurations and lighting for their needs.

“We also emphasised clear sightlines and intuitive wayfinding in a symmetrical layout to promote easy navigation,” said Superkül.

The studio worked with a team of acoustic specialists to create a sound-dampening system using perforated wood and metal panelling, designed to blend in with the interior architecture.

This scheme allows communal study groups to converse without disturbing other students.

Study areas
Particular attention was paid to accessibility, through the addition of inclusive study spots

For the new elements, a variety of natural materials were chosen to add warmth to the concrete building, including custom-designed bronze screens and details that play on existing motifs.

“To honour the distinctive geometry and materiality that make Robarts Library such a prodigious icon, we hewed closely to an overarching objective: create a robust and respectful design that honours the existing architecture and complements the library’s other spaces,” the studio said.

Communal work tables
An acoustic-dampening system was created to prevent communal study sessions distracting from quiet work

Also at the University of Toronto, studios Kohn Shnier and ERA Architects recently renovated the historic University College building to make it more accessible.

Superkül’s previous projects have included an all-white vacation home in the Ontario countryside.

The photography is by Doublespace.


Project credits:

Architect: Superkül
Structural engineer: Entuitive
Mechanical and electrical engineer: HH Angus
Acoustics: Aercoustics
Cost: Marshall & Murray
Code and safety: LRI

Reference

Ten beautiful brutalist interiors with a surprisingly welcoming feel
CategoriesInterior Design

Ten beautiful brutalist interiors with a surprisingly welcoming feel

For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected 10 brutalist interiors from the UK to Brazil and Indonesia that show how textiles, plants and colours can be used to soften monolithic concrete spaces and create a cosy atmosphere.

Brutalism as an architectural style often makes use of concrete to create large, sculptural buildings. These interiors in brutalist buildings feature plenty of concrete and hard angles but still manage to feel both warm and welcoming.

Colourful tiling, wooden details and tactile textiles as well as an abundance of green plants were used to create inviting living rooms, bathrooms and even workspaces in these brutalist buildings, which include the Barbican in London and Riverside Tower in Antwerp.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring granite kitchens, terrazzo eateries and atriums that brighten up residential spaces.


A Brutalist Tropical Home in Bali by Patisandhika and Daniel Mitchell
Photo is by Tommaso Riva

A Brutalist Tropical Home, Indonesia, by Patisandhika and Dan Mitchell

Designer Dan Mitchell worked with architecture studio Patisandhika to create this brutalist home in Bali, which features a double-height living room filled with books, records and green plants.

The house has a split-level design that was modelled on modernist architect Ray Kappe’s Kappe Residence. Inside, colourful objects, textiles and furniture draw on the work of Clifford Still, Ellsworth Kelly and the Bauhaus movement to make the house feel homely.

Find out more about A Brutalist Tropical Home ›


Large living room with concrete ceiling
Photo is by Niveditaa Gupta

House of Concrete Experiments, India, by Samira Rathod

As the name suggests, House of Concrete Experiments features sculptural concrete walls. Warm wood detailing offsets the grey hues, while the concrete floor has been inlaid with black stones to create an interesting pattern.

Large windows and geometric skylights help make the room feel bright and inviting.

Find out more about House of Concrete Experiments ›


Turquoise table in room with concrete walls
Photo is by Olmo Peeters

Riverside Tower Apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten

Studio Okami Architecten stripped the walls of this flat in Antwerp’s Riverside Tower to let its original structure take centre stage.

Colourful details such as a turquoise table and baby-blue spiral staircase and a playful, sculptural lamp make the home feel contemporary, while plenty of green plants give more life to the otherwise grey interior.

Find out more about Riverside Tower Apartment ›


Light-filled atrium in brutalist home
Photo is by Photographix

Beton Brut, India, by The Grid Architects

Designed as a “neo-brutalist” house, Beton Brut in India has a number of dramatic features, including a skylit atrium that extends through the home.

The Grid Architects described the home as “typified by bare concrete, geometric shapes, a monochrome palette and a monolithic appearance”. Wooden flooring and furniture and plenty of textiles soften the house’s brutalist interior and potentially stern appearance.

Find out more about Beton Brut ›


Shakespeare Tower apartment by Takero Shimazaki Architects
Photo is by Anton Gorlenko

Barbican flat, UK, by Takero Shimakazi Architects

This flat in the Shakespeare Tower of London’s brutalist Barbican estate was overhauled by Takero Shimakazi Architects in a nod to the client’s strong ties to Japan.

Details such as gridded timber panels and timber joinery were added throughout the flat, which also features Japan-informed details including an area lined with tatami mats.

Find out more about the Barbican flat ›


Debaixo do Bloco Arquitetura
Photo is by Joana França

Concrete home, Brazil, by Debaixo do Bloco Arquitetura

Debaixo do Bloco’s design for this sculptural house in Brazil is divided into three sections to provide a clear distinction between the various programmes.

Inside, the interior has a mid-century modern feel, with gleaming wood parquet flooring and a glass PH table lamp by Danish designer Louis Poulsen decorating a side table.

Find out more about the concrete home ›


An office table and chairs inside the office
Photo is by Lorenzo Zandri

Smithson Tower office, UK, by ConForm

The brutalist Smithson Tower in Mayfair is the location for this “homely” office designed by ConForm Architects. The studio split the space into eight zones defined by the strong structural grid of the existing building, and added low-level joinery.

The result is a design that softens the stark office spaces and makes the rooms feel more intimate.

Find out more about the Smithson Tower office ›


The Standard hotel in London by Shawn Hausman Design
Photo is courtesy of The Standard

The Standard London, UK, by Shawn Hausman

Designer Shawn Hausman created the colour-drenched interior of hotel The Standard in London, which is located in a brutalist building, to contrast “the greyness of London”.

“I would say with this property we were a bit more colourful than usual, and I think part of that is acting in contrast to the brutalist building that the hotel’s in,” explained Hausman.

In the bathrooms, stripy pink-and-black tiled walls and pops of pale mint green give the room a fun, playful feel.

Find out more about The Standard London ›


The Preston Hollow by Specht Architects
Photo is by Casey Dunn

Preston Hollow, US, by Specht Architects

The long corrugated concrete volumes of Preston Hollow in Dallas were designed to reference brutalist Texan architecture from the 1950s and 60s, but the house was built to wrap around courtyards, creating a lively, open impression.

Inside the low-slung buildings, mid-century modern-style furniture nods to the home’s architectural references but the interior is brought up-to-date with the addition of modern art.

Find out more about Preston Hollow ›


Barbican apartment designed by John Pawson
Photo is by Gilbert McCarragher

Barbican apartment, UK, by John Pawson

British architect John Pawson created this flat in London’s Barbican building using his signature minimalist aesthetic.

The flat, which overlooks central London and has a small concrete balcony, has been kept almost empty with just a smattering of furnishings and pale wooden surfaces. Three artworks, a Buddha sculpture and a grandfather clock are the only decorative elements in the space.

Find out more about the Barbican apartment ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring granite kitchens, terrazzo eateries and atriums that brighten up residential spaces.

Reference