Casa Umbral sits on a narrow plot at the edge of the valley. We turned the house inward, around a courtyard that holds the shade through the hottest months.

Light as a material

A 40 cm slot runs the length of the roof. At noon it draws a bright line across the floor, and by evening it has climbed the far wall. The concrete is pigmented with local clay, so the walls warm in tone as the light moves.

Cross ventilation and thick walls keep the rooms cool without air conditioning for most of the year.