EL ESCOBAL
Location
San Simón,
Valle de Bravo
Scope
Architecture,
Interior Design, FF&E, Contruction Management
Date of Completion
2025
Design Team
Martha Genda
Diego Vázquez
CD Supervisor
Jhan Chavarría
General Contractor
Grupo Cuarit
Grupo Cuarit
Construction Manager
Alejandro Rangel
On Site Coordinator
Eduardo Balbuena
Photography
Zaickz Moz
Tucked into the wooded slopes of Cerro de San Simón, just minutes from Avándaro and overlooking the broader territory that unfolds toward Lake Valle de Bravo, Escobal is conceived as a contemporary retreat rooted in the silence and density of the forest. Here, San Simón reveals a more secluded character— less visible than the lakefront glamour, yet deeply connected to its landscape of pines, shifting light, and mountain air. Commissioned by an outdoor enthusiast seeking an authentic escape from the city, the cabin stands as a deliberate counterpoint to urban life. Remote yet accessible, it offers immersion rather than spectacle: the sound of water running downhill, the scent of damp earth, and long walks through the forest define its rhythm.
The project unfolds as a small compound. A caretaker’s house and garage, configured in an L-shaped stone volume, frame the entrance sequence. A dirt road winds through the trees and culminates in a circular pond—an understated roundabout planted with aquatic vegetation and water lilies. This gesture marks the threshold between wilderness and dwelling. Directly ahead, the cabin presents itself in quiet horizontality. The long, gabled volume stretches across the clearing, its twopitched roof reinforcing a sense of symmetry and rhythm along the façade. Repetition of openings, the disciplined alignment of windows, and the extended eaves establish an architectural cadence that is both rustic and precise.
RYTHM MATERIALITY AND EXTERIOR EXPRESSION
The exterior language is grounded in authenticity. A continuous stone plinth anchors the structure to the terrain, while dark-stained timber cladding rises above it. Exposed wooden beams articulate the roofline, capped with dark tiles that echo the tones of the surrounding trunks and earth. The lateral façades, finished in exposed masonry, incorporate central water fountains—functional details where the family’s dogs drink after long days outdoors. Sliding windows open fully, disappearing behind cantera stone frames and dissolving the boundary between interior and forest.
INTERIOR SEQUENCE
Entry occurs through a modest portico and
compressed threshold. The ceiling height gradually
expands, heightening the spatial drama as one moves
inward. Immediately inside, a wood-lined mud room—
complete with bench seating and lower drawers—
provides space to remove and store hiking boots,
reinforcing the home’s outdoor ethos.
A longitudinal corridor runs the entire length of the
cabin, organizing circulation from vestibule to both
ends. To the east lies the primary suite; to the west two
secondary bedrooms mirror one another symmetrically
from the central axis.
