Dezeen Magazine

Tadao Ando's Casa Monterrey nestles against a hillside in Mexico

This house in Mexico by Japanese architect Tadao Ando boasts a swimming pool that projects from a hillside and concrete walls that frame views of the Sierra Las Mitras mountains (photos by Edmund Sumner + slideshow).

Casa Monterrey house in Mexico by Tadao Ando

Located west of Monterrey in the rocky landscape of the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park, Casa Monterrey was designed by Tadao Ando to accommodate a family.

Casa Monterrey house in Mexico by Tadao Ando

The three-storey building centres around a double-height library that stretches diagonally through the centre of the plan. Fronted by glazing, this frames a pair of water-filled triangles at the centre of the house.

Casa Monterrey house in Mexico by Tadao Ando

The rest of the building is divided up into two wings – the first contains the family's main living, dining and sleeping spaces, while the second functions as the main entrance and accommodates a guest bedroom and a gallery.

Casa Monterrey house in Mexico by Tadao Ando

The house is built into the hillside, which allowed the architect to create a volume where various horizontal and vertical concrete plains emerge from the landscape at different heights and positions.

Casa Monterrey house in Mexico by Tadao Ando

One concrete wall features a large rectangular opening, framing views towards the distant mountains. Another concrete surface runs alongside to create a poolside terrace.

Casa Monterrey house in Mexico by Tadao Ando

The swimming pool extends out from one side of the building and cantilevers over the edge of a hillside towards the horizon.

Casa Monterrey house in Mexico by Tadao Ando

Most of the family rooms are arranged around the two triangular pools, and include a large open-plan living room, a wine cellar and a home gym. The master bedroom and living room are both located at the base of the building and open out to the swimming pool terraces.

Casa Monterrey house in Mexico by Tadao Ando

Tadao Ando, who is best-known for projects in Japan such as Row House and Church of the Light, also recently completed another building in Mexico – a school of art, design and architecture for the University of Monterrey.

Casa Monterrey house in Mexico by Tadao Ando

Photography is by Edmund Sumner.