A sustainable off-grid residence that doubles perception through geometry and harmonizes with the natural environment

Located in a remote valley about three hours from Mexico City, House 720 Degrees is a geometric and optical structure that doubles the typical 360-degree field of vision. Architect Fernanda Canales conceived the residence as a "solar clock," with a central courtyard forming the heart of the project where interior and exterior worlds meet.

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

By day, the house frames views of mountains and a distant volcano through its circular perimeter. At night, the structure shifts inward, enclosing the courtyard. The project comprises three distinct volumes — a main circular house, a separate studio and guest room, and a rectangular unit surrounding a patio with additional bedrooms and services. This configuration responds to the sloping terrain and preserves the site’s vegetation while supporting the lives of two families and their guests.

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

Photo credit: Camila Cossio

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

The building spans two levels: a ground floor and an accessible rooftop terrace. Rectangular rooms — bedrooms, bathrooms, closets, and a kitchen — are placed within the circular plan, while curved walls guide circulation and extend as terraces or gardens. Foldable windows and privacy screens allow the interiors to open and transform according to environmental needs.

Photo credit: Camila Cossio

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

Photo credit: Camila Cossio

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

Designed to withstand extreme conditions — including 30°C temperature shifts and extended rainy seasons — the house maintains a sense of openness. Its walls act as mediating membranes between forest and prairie, dry and wet seasons, and spatial realms from center to periphery. Set low into the land, the house uses a mixture of local soil and concrete to achieve an earthy, site-responsive finish. Lighting and furniture were produced on site, utilizing regional materials and traditional craftsmanship.

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

Photo credit: Camila Cossio

Photo credit: Rafael Gamo

The design integrates sustainable systems such as rainwater harvesting, solar power generation, and hydronic radiant floors in the bedrooms. Natural cross-ventilation is present throughout, with openings oriented in multiple directions. Weather-resistant materials reduce maintenance needs, eliminating the need for painting or cladding. Built in harmony with the color and texture of the land, the house responds subtly to seasonal changes — a living structure that breathes with its surroundings.

About Fernanda Canales

Fernanda Canales (b. 1974, Mexico City) studied architecture at the Ibero-American University and received a Master’s in Theory and Criticism from the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB-UPC), followed by a PhD from the Madrid School of Architecture (ETSAM-UPM). Her work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, Ifa Galerie in Stuttgart, and the Venice Architecture Biennale. She has received multiple international awards and has taught at Yale, Princeton, Harvard, and the Polytechnic University of Milan.