In the tight spaces of North America’s largest city, a house with a yard is a rare and costly luxury. To provide a bit of personal, private green space, architect PAUL CREMOUX studio has designed a new home with a living green wall that climbs from the base to the top of an open central atrium. Casa CorManca and its living green wall fits a large residence into a small space by building upward and placing the green space on its inner side. A collection of small, finely-groomed plants and brushes thrive in the tropical environment of Mexico City, in a way that brings the great outdoors into a private space for the home’s occupants to enjoy.
The green wall of Casa CorManca is one of three primary textures which comprise its fascia. Panels of dark slate rock skirt much of the exterior, while beech wood accents provide visual contrast. Each element feels entirely natural, as the stone, wood and grasses each come alive to the eye.
Around the central courtyard, a grouping of rooms both private and shared comprise the full elevation. The base level presents a sidewalk-facing entryway, a living, dining and cooking area, a guest quarters and a parking area. The second level features a master bedroom, two small bedrooms, a pair of bathrooms and a den.
The connection of each of the living spaces to the central atrium not only provides context and spacial harmony, but it also presents passive climate control options from breezes and the moving sun. It creates a living space that is not only natural to the eye, it is connected to the local environment in spirit. It’s a great success in design, a way to live harmoniously with nature in a tight-yet-maximized space.
