JSa's Casa Marte: Off-Grid Retreat in Mexico's Valle de Bravo
JSa has completed Casa Marte, an off-grid family retreat in the forested Valle de Bravo region of Mexico, two hours west of Mexico City. The 494-acre Reserva Peñitas nature reserve has become a hub for contemporary Mexican architecture, with houses by Fernanda Canales, Hector Barroso, and Javier Sánchez. Casa Marte, finished in 2024, consists of three freestanding volumes that evoke a child's drawing of a house, designed to blend into the landscape and offer panoramic views of the Xinantécatl volcano. The project prioritizes water conservation and minimal environmental impact.
Key facts
- Casa Marte is located in Reserva Peñitas, a 494-acre nature reserve near Valle de Bravo, Mexico.
- The house was completed in 2024 by JSa, led by Javier Sánchez.
- The design features three freestanding volumes forming a mini cluster.
- The architecture defers to the surrounding landscape, including oak-covered boulders and the Xinantécatl volcano.
- Reserva Peñitas has become a hotbed for contemporary Mexican architecture, with works by Fernanda Canales and Hector Barroso.
- Casa Marte is an off-grid compound emphasizing water conservation.
- The site includes a promontory with valley views and a forested section across a ravine.
- The house's gabled silhouettes are inserted into the terrain to maximize panoramic value.
Entities
Artists
- Javier Sánchez
- Fernanda Canales
- Hector Barroso
Institutions
- JSa
Locations
- Valle de Bravo
- Mexico City
- Mexico
- Reserva Peñitas
- Xinantécatl volcano