Chabacano House by HCE Office of Architecture Celebrates Transparency and Lightness in Querétaro, Mexico

Date of Publishing: May 5, 2025

Architecture Design of Chabacano House

Description About The Project

Chabacano House by HCE Office of Architecture in Querétaro redefines transparency with glass volumes, cantilevered forms, and a serene natural palette rooted in light and simplicity.

The Project “Chabacano House” Information:

Project Name: Chabacano House
Location: Querétaro, Mexico
Project Year: 2021
Built area: 450 m²
Site area: 1325 m²
Designed by: HCE Office of Architecture

A Glass Concept Rooted in Structural Poetry

Designed by HCE Office of Architecture, Chabacano House emerges as a striking one-story residence nestled within the irregular geometry of a lot in Querétaro, Mexico. From the street, it appears solid and private — but as one moves inward, its architectural language dissolves into glass, openness, and light. The entire home revolves around the guiding principle of transparency, both in materiality and spatial experience.

Chabacano House by HCE Office of Architecture Celebrates Transparency and Lightness in Querétaro, Mexico

“The idea was to gradually remove visual barriers,” explains the design team at HCE. “From the solid front to the fully glazed garden canopy, the house becomes lighter as you move through it — until it nearly vanishes into the landscape.”

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An L-Shaped Dialogue with the Site

The program is organized on a single floor with a functional basement below. The architects employed an L-shaped plan, maximizing natural light and integrating seamlessly into the site’s irregular footprint. At the intersection of the “L,” the kitchen anchors the home — not just functionally but conceptually, connecting the two arms of the layout and serving as the primary link to the basement.

“We positioned the kitchen as the heart of the home,” says the architect. “It connects everything — visually, socially, and structurally.”

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This configuration frames two gardens: a quiet entry courtyard and a generous side and rear garden, which become fully visible and accessible thanks to uninterrupted panes of glass and elegant cantilevered volumes.

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Architecture That Disappears into Light

One of the most defining features of Chabacano House is its 11 x 16-meter cantilevered roof, a feat of structural ingenuity achieved through specially fabricated steel beams and a hybrid framework of load-bearing walls and columns placed at strategic points.

Chabacano House by HCE Office of Architecture Celebrates Transparency and Lightness in Queretaro Mexico 1

“We wanted to give the impression that the roof floats — that the house is more canopy than container,” the architect notes. “This required meticulous structural design to ensure openness without compromising stability.”

As one transitions toward the rear of the house, the structure all but disappears. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls erase boundaries between indoors and out, with the exterior environment becoming an ever-present part of the home’s experience.

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Natural Materials and Monochrome Harmony

The material palette is purposefully restrained — a calm composition of white and sandy tones that enhances the lightness of the architecture. Walls are clad in Niwalla, a porous limestone in soft sand hues. The flooring features white marble streaked with gray grains, and the subtle textures of stone and glass are paired with minimal steel detailing.

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“We chose materials that reflect rather than absorb light,” the design team adds. “Our goal was to let sunlight animate every surface and bring the spaces to life through reflection and shadow.”

This harmony between light and material extends to every room in the house, where simplicity reigns, and each surface contributes to a greater sensory equilibrium.

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A Study in Stillness and Structure

Beyond the poetic lightness, Chabacano House is deeply grounded in its technical and structural execution. The basement level, hidden below the terrain, houses the garage, services, and storage areas — allowing the main floor to remain uninterrupted and serene.

Throughout the design, glass serves as more than a material — it is a concept. It creates clarity, enables spatial continuity, and fosters a fluid relationship between structure and site.

“Chabacano House is about absence as much as it is about form,” reflects the architect. “It’s about seeing through, seeing beyond, and finding beauty in simplicity.”

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Photo credit: | Source: HCE Office of Architecture

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