Ludwig Godefroy prioritises garden for "timeless" family home in Mexico

An architect named Ludwig Godefroy who resides in Mexico has finished reconstructing his own house and studio with a "basic" design. The newly renovated home is connected to a neighboring garden and houses Godefroy and his family.

Godefroy and his significant other refurbished a previous dwelling, with emphasis on positioning the house towards the surrounding nature that was already in existence on the property.

Godefroy expressed that Casa SanJe is a project that emphasizes simplicity. The principal objective of this project is to reunite the house with its garden by designing ample windows everywhere on the first level. The result presents a seamless connection between the interior and exterior of the house.

The garden takes up a little less than half of the entire area, whereas the remaining section is occupied by the house where the architect lives.

According to Godefroy, Casa SanJe was a typical house built in the 1980s in Mexico. The house had no particular design or unique features. It was a straightforward house with tiled flooring and textured plaster finishes on the walls.

The designer has substituted the prior substances with concrete, timber, and tezontle, which is a reddish volcanic stone, to create a more peaceful ambiance within the residence.

On the bottom floor of the house there are two entryways that are safeguarded by strong doors made of iron.

Next to the initial entrance of the building, there is a parking lot. To get there you have to go through a patio where you will find various stones, planting beds, and a sculpture made of concrete and bricks.

There is another way to get into the garden that is not the main entrance. It takes you to a central area on the ground level, known as the vestibule.

The design of the space revolves around the entrance area, with the cooking space, place for eating, and lounge situated across from the architect's workspace and book collection.

The cooking and art areas were located at the rear of the house with narrow openings spaced intermittently in between storage areas for supplies and equipment.

Godefroy placed spacious doors and windows on the opposing side, which allows the living room to lead straight into the garden when opened.

A large portion of the indoor furnishings were constructed using cast concrete. Such items include the couch in the living room, the dining table, side tables, shelving in the kitchen, as well as an island. There are also fixtures that were built right into the floor.

In Godefroy's workspace, there are also sturdy shelves made of concrete as well as a desk made of the same material that spans the length of the wall.

The wall in that area was covered with cozy wood panels and above the architect's workstation, there's a curved ceiling. Next to that, there's a chimney.

Similar to some of Godefroy's past works, interior walls were perforated with geometric apertures.

A visible wall composed of red volcanic rock extends along the rear section of the residence.

A set of wooden steps are situated between the kitchen and living area, providing access to the upper level where the bedrooms and main restroom are located.

In the main bathroom, there is a lowered, circular area in the floor where you can stand to take a shower. There are several shower heads located in this area for washing yourself.

On one side, a faucet dribbles water onto a series of levels.

The ceiling, walls, and floor were constructed using concrete.

Plants indigenous to the area were strategically positioned all around the house. A vast half-round container crafted from cement was installed above the entryway to the house.

According to the architect, their goal was to create a space that would remain classic and not follow any current trends or fads. The space was designed using basic materials that would age gracefully rather than wearing down over time.

Godefroy has just finished a bunch of different projects in and nearby Mexico City. These accomplishments include a house in the brutalist style that is shaped like a cube and a hotel with the appearance of an Oaxacan temple.

Edmund Sumner is the one responsible for the photography.