Rancho del Bosque is a vacation residence composed of a series of striking red concrete pavilions, designed by Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos and set within a pine forest in Valle de Bravo, Mexico.
Translating to “forest ranch,” Rancho del Bosque features six structures arranged in a linear sequence along a hillside, each serving a unique purpose.
Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos, based in Mexico City, created the 735-square-metre home for a couple from the capital as a peaceful retreat for themselves, their children, and grandchildren—just a two-hour drive from the city.
The design’s fragmented arrangement allows residents to experience the natural surroundings as a true extension of their home.
“The main aim of the project was to establish a dialogue between nature and architecture, letting this relationship shape the spatial experience for those living here,” explained architect and partner Fernando Sordo Madaleno, who joined the firm founded by his grandfather in 2012.
“As a result, the house is split into modular pavilions, so that the experience becomes one of immersion in nature, rather than simply occupying a house built within it,” he added.
The largest structure is an elongated semi-cylindrical block that houses the main living and dining areas, where the family gathers.
To the south, four smaller blocks of the same curved form are located. One features intimate lounge spaces, and the remaining three contain two floors of bedrooms. At the northernmost end, a cuboidal sixth block accommodates the kitchen and ancillary service rooms.
The configuration responds to the natural contours of the landscape. The pavilion’s curved walls offer privacy on the hillside side, while the west-facing facades are open to sweeping views across the valley.
“Instead of a single architectural gesture, we imagined a series of volumes that settle naturally along the site’s slope, fostering a continuous and close relationship with the landscape,” Sordo Madaleno shared with Dezeen.
