Built-in a dense urban area in the historic center of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, the Sin Nombre House and Gallery by Associates Architecture provides access to secluded, completely private spaces filled with light. The seemingly monolithic volume, introverted and wrapped completely in white plaster, sits on an existing stone plinth and opens up to a rooftop terrace with sweeping views of the historic center. It’s an exercise in architectural synthesis and spatial inventiveness that reveals a profoundly conscious, pragmatic approach to exploring and reinterpreting vernacular traditions.
The main concept is to work with an apparently monolithic volume that accommodates a series of microcosms. The muted enclosure, not unlike those facing narrow alleyways in the neighborhood, is a boundary between the exterior and the interior and features private outdoor spaces that offer a sense of repose and tranquility. The design draws from vernacular Mexican architecture, with hidden courtyards tucked inside many buildings, which has been reinterpreted with the architects’ distinctive minimal style and influenced by references to some masters, ranging from Luis Barragán and Mies van der Rohe.
The house is well crafted throughout, defined by a monochromatic color scheme that evolves into mixed tones as the day and the seasons go by, with elegant light metal window frames made locally, just like the staircase. The muted enclosure — walls, floors and ceilings are all in soft whites — provides the perfect abstract background for the display of furniture pieces designed by the two owners.