Vrtical’s Casa Gardenias repurposes existing structure for mother-daughter home and studio in Naucalpan

Casa Gardenias, a house and studio designed by Mexico City-based firm Vrtical for a mother-daughter duo, is located in the nondescript municipality of Naucalpan, northwest of Mexico City. The 12-year-old boutique firm, led by architects Luis Beltrán del Río and Andrew Sosa, specializes in small- to medium-scale residential interventions that often incorporate existing structures. In this project, elements of a preexisting residence were recycled to reduce the need for new foundations and walls, though the original house lacked architectural features worth preserving. The design neither restores nor references the past, instead reusing structural parts deemed useful. Naucalpan, a hilly area with mixed neighborhoods and factories, receives few visitors but now houses this standout example of recent local architecture.