Casa Tlaloc: A World Within a Minimal House

RESIDENTIAL · XALAPA

Designed by López González, Casa Tlaloc stands in Xalapa, in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Completed in 2026, the approximately 316-square-metre house has a grey exterior and predominantly white interiors. Its upper floors step back to make room for terraces, while full-height glass doors on the ground floor open directly to the rear courtyard.

White columns and living-area furniture beside full-height glazing — Slender white columns stand beside full-height glazing, with metal seating inside and outdoor views reflected in the glass.

A house that steps back as it rises

Seen from the street, the house is a stack of rectilinear volumes with progressively smaller interiors. Floor slabs project outwards, with metal-mesh balustrades along the terrace edges and broad expanses of glass behind.

Grey street façade with stepped-back upper volumes — The grey volumes step back as they rise, with metal-mesh balustrades along the outer edges of the projecting slabs.

Oblique street view of the house — An oblique view from the street shows the glazing, projecting slabs and volumes that step back at each level.

In an interview, the design team explained that they wanted to accommodate different daily activities on different floors. The sloping site also gives each level a different outlook: the ground floor sits close to the garden, while the upper levels look beyond the surrounding buildings.

Garage beneath upper-floor glazing on the street façade — Broad glazing and terraces sit above the ground-floor garage, with metal-mesh balustrades along the slab edges.

Rear elevation on the courtyard side — The view from the courtyard shows grey frames, glazing and terraces at each level.

Rear elevation with the glass doors open — The ground-floor sliding doors stand open on the rear elevation, while upper terraces extend to either side.

A living area opening to the courtyard

The garage, entrance and guest WC occupy the front of the ground floor, leaving the rear for an open-plan living area. Sliding open the full-height glass doors leads straight into the courtyard. Pale gravel covers the ground, and planting beds run along the enclosing walls, with plants trailing down from above and climbing the walls.

Living area beside slender white columns — Slender white columns stand beside the glazing, with courtyard plants visible outside the furnished living area.

Living-area seating beneath a paper pendant — White walls and pale grey flooring surround the living area, with a paper pendant above the seating.

Sliding glass doors between the living area and rear courtyard — Full-height glass doors connect the living area to the gravel courtyard, with slender white columns beside the glazing.

Inside, pale grey stone flooring runs past slender white columns beside the glazing. Metal chairs, timber furniture and black leather seating furnish the living area beneath a paper pendant. The kitchen pairs white cabinetry with a green island.

Steps and tiered planting in the gravel courtyard — Pale gravel covers the centre of the courtyard, with tiered planting and climbing plants on either side of the steps.

Courtyard planting beds and broad steps — Planting beds run along the enclosing walls, and broad steps lead from the gravel towards the greenery.

Green kitchen island and white cabinetry — The green island sits beside white cabinetry, and the kitchen's glass doors face the courtyard.

Green kitchen island beneath a paper pendant — A paper pendant hangs above the green island, with an arched doorway to one side of the white cabinetry.

Metal basin and gravel area beneath a skylight — In the dark grey guest WC, a freestanding metal basin faces a gravel area lit by a skylight.

Terraces above the bedrooms

The bedrooms occupy the middle level, where full-height glazing at the foot of the bed faces neighbouring buildings. The central staircase has open risers, and light enters from the level above through the stair opening.

Bedroom facing full-height glazing — The bed faces full-height glazing, beyond which a metal-mesh balustrade and neighbouring buildings are visible.

Side view of the open-riser staircase and adjacent cabinetry — Seen from the side, the open-riser staircase has a central support, with storage cabinetry alongside.

Central support and open stair treads — Grey treads rise along a central support, with light entering through the curved opening above the staircase.

Higher up, the building steps inwards to leave terraces on two sides. According to the design team, this floor can accommodate study, exercise or gatherings rather than serving a single fixed purpose. Full-height glass doors open outdoors; from the terrace balustrade, neighbouring rooftops and distant mountains come into view. Inside, a wooden rocking horse stands beside white cylindrical columns.

Upper-level columns and a wooden rocking horse — A wooden rocking horse stands beside white cylindrical columns on the upper level, where the stair opening connects to the floor below.

Upper-level glazing and stair opening — Distant views are visible through the upper-level glazing, with the stair opening and slender metal balustrade to one side.

Upper terrace entrance and distant mountain views — Full-height sliding doors lead to the upper terrace, with trees and distant mountains beyond the metal-mesh balustrade.

Upper terrace overlooking neighbouring rooftops and distant mountains — The terrace has pale grey paving and a metal-mesh balustrade along its outer edge, with views beyond neighbouring rooftops.

Outdoor space for rainy days

Xalapa is rainy and humid. The design team explains that the projecting slabs provide shade and shelter from rain, with collected rainwater directed into a storage system. The depth of the projections also takes local rainfall into account, with the aim of keeping part of the terraces usable when it rains.

Casa Tlaloc takes its name from its street. The architects specifically note that, although Tlaloc is also the name of a rain god, the name was not the starting point for the design.

On the ground floor, the living area leads into the courtyard; above, glass doors open onto terraces. As one moves up through the house, the outlook changes from nearby planting to neighbouring rooftops and distant mountains.

Project credits

Project — Casa Tlaloc
Location — Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Architecture — López González
Project type — Residential
Floor area — Approximately 316 m²
Completed — 2026
Lead architect — José Pedro López González
Landscape architecture — Proyecto Raíz
Photography — César Béjar
Images and original feature — Yatzer
Additional sources — López González official website; DESIGNARCUS interview with the architects; ArchDaily project information
Editorial adaptation — 01DES