Casa San Francisco: A Stone Retreat in Guanajuato Vineyards

Jorge Garibay of Garibay Arquitectos designed Casa San Francisco, a vacation home in a Guanajuato vineyard, featured in Glocal Design Magazine's 89th edition 'Visionarias del espacio'. The house is fragmented into five volumes oriented toward gardens and vineyard views, connected by a transverse corridor accessed via a double-height vestibule. Common areas (dining room, terrace, kitchen, living room) lie to the east, four private bedrooms to the west. The material palette is restrained: local stone, unpolished national marble, and artisanal lime paint. Local regulations required 50% stone cladding, which Garibay embraced. Wood furniture, mainly oak, is simple. Lighting evokes 16th-century convent warmth. Sustainable features include photovoltaic panels, solar water heaters, and a rainwater cistern; passive design strategies minimize air conditioning. The house references San Miguel de Allende's founding in the 16th century, when Franciscan friars introduced viticulture to Mexico.