House With No Name in Morelia, Mexico, designed by HW Studio, is an architectural project that stands out for its unique circumstances and guiding decisions.
The future inhabitants of this house had a harrowing experience of being robbed inside their home while they were away, leaving them feeling vulnerable and exposed. The solution to their predicament was to create a discreet and austere design without ostentatious ornaments, high walls, and no windows facing the outside. The architects incorporated these understandable requests into the design to restore the loss of sense of security.
However, another interesting aspect of the project was the strong religious calling that was discovered during the design process. Despite the abundance of Christs, Virgins, angels, and religious objects that filled their existing home, the clients were seeking a cold and sterile minimalism that would evoke a certain religious spirit. The architects took inspiration from conventual architecture to create a sequence of courtyards with barrel vaults that blur the boundaries of the roof, soften the light, and nod to the Cathedral of Morelia and the numerous baroque churches near the site.
The House With No Name is an excellent example of how architecture can provide solutions to real-life circumstances while evoking spirituality through legible forms, light, and space. The project is a testament to the architects' ability to combine the clients' needs and wants with their design expertise to create a unique and meaningful space.
