If you ever travel to Monterrey, Mexico´s third largests city, there are two things that are not to be missed.
The first is Fundidora Park, a museum about the history of steel making, housed in a restored blast furnace, and surely one of the most bizarre museums in the world (although Tokyo´s parasite museum probably nudges it out).
The second, is Casa Ming, a home by LGZ Taller de Arquitectura and designed by Lena de la Torre, Oscar Mendoza, and Jimena Garcia.
Although not open to the public (the owners would take a very dim view of this) you can still drool over the fabulous images below by Jorge Taboada, from Idea Cubica.
The clever design utilises the borrowed landscape (a Japanese idea) making the home appear larger than in actually is. Also, quite Japanese is the use of nature to enrich the home. The back garden is filled with low-maintenance native foliage, while the interior patio boasts views of the green wall from both the first and second floors, effectively bringing the outside in.
“Materials alternate in series of contrasting themes that articulate interior and exterior design: from the white purity of the walls, through the dark stone tones of the floor, the sandy colors of the main wall that connects the main length of the project, to the natural wood tones in furniture, decks and art objects.”
Speaking of natural wood tones, LZF supplied two LINK pendant lamps in cherry wood veneer. These have pride of place over the main dining table, and go further towards capturing the inside-outside aesthetic. The LINK was created by our favourite Irish designer Ray Power and is closely related to the ever popular SWIRL. Like all LZF lamps it is FSC certified and comes in 10 veneer finishes.
Casa Ming, a home by LGZ Taller de Arquitectura.
Designed byand designed by Lena de la Torre, Oscar Mendoza, and Jimena Garcia.
Pics by Jorge Taboada, from Idea Cubica.
Lamps: Link, by Ray Power for Lzf Lamps
Text by: Stephen Lacey