House Roja / JDR Arquitectos

Architects: JDR Arquitectos
Area: 152 m²
Year: 2023
Photography: Ernesto Gutiérrez
Lead Architects: Job Daniel Robles
Design Team: Edgar Pimienta, Salvador Alfas, Karla Carranza
Text: Kopakitsy Alenka Huesca Carvajal
City: El Grullo
Country: Mexico

House Roja by JDR Arquitectos is a 152-square-meter residence in El Grullo, Mexico, designed as a retreat for a client who alternates between living abroad and returning home. The project transforms a misaligned corner lot into a composition of two distinct blocks: one social and open, the other private and introspective. A spacious terrace crowns the home, providing expansive views of Chiautempan Park and the surrounding hills. With its red-tinted exterior and soft white interior, the house establishes a dialogue between robustness and lightness, enclosure and openness. More than a dwelling, House Roja becomes a setting for rest, reunion, and emotional reconnection.

House Roja reflects JDR Arquitectos’ belief that a meaningful architectural project begins with understanding the user. For a client whose life unfolds between distant places, the design expresses a yearning for return and belonging. The house serves as a refuge to unwind after long absences, conceived as both an intimate retreat and a space for social engagement. Every spatial decision—from circulation to orientation—was made to balance privacy with community, offering a sense of peace within its urban setting.

The irregular corner site shaped the project’s defining concept. The architects responded by dividing the structure into two main volumes, each with distinct spatial identities. The first block, dedicated to social interaction, brings together the living room, kitchen, and dining area in a continuous open plan where physical boundaries dissolve. The second block, dedicated to rest, contains three bedrooms, each with a private connection to the outdoors. This separation reinforces the dual nature of the home—simultaneously open to gathering and secluded for reflection.

Above the main structure, the terrace acts as the project’s most extroverted element. Designed without walls or barriers, it accommodates large gatherings while framing sweeping views of the surrounding hills. The terrace’s openness contrasts with the grounded solidity of the lower levels, symbolizing freedom and renewal. In this elevated space, nature and architecture converge, creating a dialogue between the built environment and the passing seasons that animate the local landscape.

Material expression anchors the project in its context. The exterior, defined by a dense red mortar, gives the home both character and permanence. Over time, the finish will acquire a natural patina, enhancing its tactile and visual depth. In contrast, the interiors are finished in subdued white tones that amplify daylight and promote tranquility. The interplay of these two chromatic worlds—one heavy and protective, the other airy and reflective—embodies the project’s central theme of contrast and harmony.

Between the two monolithic blocks, a funnel-shaped corridor organizes the transition from public to private realms. This passageway filters light and air through the interior, fostering a sense of movement and continuity. Architectural gestures, such as the light bridge connecting levels, underscore the relationship between distance and connection, intimacy and openness. Through these precise spatial and material choices, JDR Arquitectos captures the emotional resonance of returning home, crafting a dwelling that celebrates serenity, permanence, and the quiet beauty of everyday life.