Ro House Tapalpa is a weekend country house designed by Elías Rizo Arquitectos, located in a forested area near the town of Tapalpa, in Jalisco, Mexico. Since the project is limited, the program was to remain basic. The project evolves from the idea of making a place of refuge, where isolation from the urban life and noise is the main priority. The 2,152 square foot (200 square meters) house has a linear distribution with two distinct areas: the private areas accessed through a corridor and the public areas which span the main entrance to the terrace.

The house is constructed with regional materials: solid walls made of slate and wood, and high ceilings with wooden beams. The private area holds three bedrooms while the public area contains the kitchen, living room, and terrace.

The commission demanded a country house with common features, respect for the context and a specific program; but the most important request was for the house to step away from the usual typologies for houses of the region. With a contemporary personality, this house assumes a posture of absolute respect for the exterior which should be the main character.

The house opens almost completely to the outside unlike all neighboring houses in the area. Most houses in the region take an inexplicable stance of closing off from the outside with the argument of cold weather. The finishings were carefully selected, designed to provide all the comforts of a city house such as quality flooring, carpentry and bathroom. The result is an impeccable construction where everything was completely thought through.

Photos: Marcos García