Csar BjarCasa Emma, designed by HW Studio, is a serene residential project in Morelia, Mexico. The house reflects the studios continuous exploration of emotional architecture, focusing on light and space as vehicles for calmness. The project draws direct inspiration from the Paula Rego Museum, designed by Eduardo Souto de Moura, where HW Studios principals experienced a deep sense of serenity through the careful use of light. Casa Emma channels this inspiration, transforming light into a central element that guides the design and emotional experience of the space.Casa Emma Technical InformationArchitects1-18: HW StudioLocation: Morelia, Michoacn, MexicoArea: 54.35m2 | 585 Sq. Ft.Completion Year: 2024Photographs: Csar BjarThe firms intention with this project is to provide visitors with an experience that awakens emotions and invites contemplation, attempting to convey the same experience that they themselves experienced that day in Cascais. HW Studio ArchitectsCasa Emma Photographs Csar Bjar Csar Bjar Csar Bjar Csar Bjar Csar Bjar Csar Bjar Csar Bjar Csar Bjar Csar Bjar Csar BjarArchitectural Exploration: Light as a MediumSituated on a small plot measuring just 4 by 10 meters, Casa Emma presented challenges related to spatial efficiency, lighting, and ventilation. However, these constraints allowed HW Studio to explore verticality and zenithal lighting strategies. The result is a home that transcends its physical boundaries and offers an intimate connection between its inhabitants and the surrounding environment. The architects aimed to create a space that functions as a home and offers moments of reflection and peace, much like the experience they had at the Paula Rego Museum.Light in Casa Emma is not merely a functional element but an emotional tool that defines the space. HW Studio carefully crafted the way natural light enters and moves through the house, recalling their encounter with the soft, golden light of the museum. Zenithal lighting, or light entering from above, is a key feature in the home, creating an ethereal atmosphere that evokes tranquility. By designing skylights and openings strategically, the architects allow sunlight to cascade gently into the rooms, enhancing the perception of space.In the open-plan central area, which houses the living room, dining room, and kitchen, light flows uninterrupted, unifying the spaces and creating a seamless transition between them. The absence of interior divisions allows light to permeate the entire area, making the space feel larger and more welcoming. This concept starkly contrasts the typical compartmentalized house layouts, showing how lighting can guide movement and perception within a home.Moreover, how light interacts with the materials is vital to achieving the architects vision. The warm tones of wood combined with the soft reflections of white surfaces allow the light to dance across the walls and floors, creating a dynamic yet soothing environment. This interplay of light and materiality offers the inhabitants a calming, almost meditative experience, much like the architects own transformative encounter in Cascais.Materiality and Symbolism: The Troje ConnectionCasa Emma is deeply rooted in the regions cultural heritage, specifically drawing on the traditional Purepecha granary known as a Troje. HW Studio uses this cultural reference as the conceptual foundation of the design, seeing the house as an excavation exercise that carves out a symbolic void within the small site. The use of wood throughout the interior is a direct nod to the Trojes materiality, imbuing the home with a sense of continuity and respect for tradition. The wooden interior not only reflects the cultural significance of the Troje but also enhances the emotional warmth of the space, making it feel grounded yet serene.One of the standout features of Casa Emma is the mezzanine bedroom, which is the only element with a different materiality from the rest of the house. Here, HW Studio introduces a floating white volume that contrasts sharply with the wooden surfaces surrounding it. With its light material and reflective surfaces, this floating element is designed to appear almost weightless, like a piece of cotton suspended in the air. The architects cleverly use light to diffuse its boundaries, softening its presence and integrating it seamlessly into the overall composition. The floating white volume symbolizes a departure from the earthy tones of the rest of the house, offering a moment of contrast that enhances the ethereal quality of the space.Casa Emma PlansGround Floor | HW StudioTop Floor | HW StudioRooftop | HW StudioSection | HW StudioCasa Emma Image GalleryAbout HW StudioHW Studio is a Mexico-based architecture firm led by Rogelio Vallejo Bores, known for creating thoughtful, serene spaces that foster peace and contemplation. Emerging during a time of social unrest in Mexico, the studios design philosophy focuses on simplicity and eliminating the superfluous, aiming to evoke moments of inner calm through the careful study of context, materials, and light. Inspired by both local traditions and global architectural influences, HW Studio integrates the cultural, environmental, and emotional needs of its clients into timeless architectural solutions.Notes & Additional CreditsLead Architects: Rogelio Vallejo BoresArchitects: Oscar Didier Ascencio Castro, Nik Zaret Cervantes OrdazStructural Engineering: ARGA ConstructoraConstruction Company: Alberto Gallegos Negrete (Grupo GAPSE)Client: Alejandro Sols HernndezSite Area: 40.00 mBudget: $120,000.00 USDKrion: Solid surface I 1100 Snow WhiteBastet Luxury Floors: Engineered oak wood I CHAMOXInterceramic: Porcelain floor tile I Lims Ivory 75150, Vanity I Atenas, Kitchen faucet I Matte white Pvot, Bathroom faucet I Polished chrome SienaBticino: Plates and switches I Living NowiLumiled: Floor luminaire I ILUEP1WWW, LED strip I 2216 2200 KTecnolite: Digital timer I TT-158Steren: Video doorbell I CCTV-0990ERA: Electric grill I ERA PEI-4-60 black 110VCalorex: Electric water heater I PRO 40Altamira: Hydraulic pressure booster kit I PRES10, PRES-16-1115-230Tornado: Submersible water pump I KIN58-8/1230A