A Bold Lakeside Extension Reimagines Circulation, Materials, and the Relationship between a Home and its Natural Surroundings

A staircase bursts through the roof as if propelled by momentum, signaling a new chapter for a home overlooking a lush lakeside landscape. In Valle de Bravo, Mexico, Pedro&Juana have transformed an existing residence by José Iturbe into a dynamic architectural composition that embraces both movement and nature.

Photo by Ramiro Chaves

Photo by Ramiro Chaves

Perched on a steep slope rising from the water to the mountainside, the original home relied heavily on stairways—both practical and defining. Building on this characteristic, Pedro&Juana made circulation the centerpiece of their intervention. By opening the roof and extending the existing stairway upward into a newly created “stair tunnel,” they carved out a vertical passage that links the old house with a new wooden annex embedded in the hillside. This structural gesture not only expands the rear of the property but also introduces a secondary entrance that connects to the service areas below.

Photo by Ramiro Chaves

The new staircase, constructed of broad brick steps, leads down through the tunnel into a covered patio that now serves as an extension of the redesigned kitchen. Above, the annex houses a bedroom, two bathrooms, and a flexible space that functions as a kitchen, studio, or additional sleeping area. An interior patio joins the rooms, offering an intimate outdoor retreat sheltered within the new volume.

Photo by Ramiro Chaves

Material choice played a critical role in the project’s direction. Wood, selected for its sustainability and warmth, reflects the architects’ broader advocacy through La Liga de la Madera, an initiative aimed at encouraging wood construction in a country dominated by steel, concrete, brick, and mortar. This commitment to mindful building extends throughout the project: Pedro&Juana designed nearly every element, from the smallest landscape gestures to tiles and custom furniture.

Photo by Ramiro Chaves

The result is a coherent, imaginative expansion that integrates stairs, patios, textures, plants, wood, and brick into a seamless addition. Far from overshadowing the original structure, the new annex elevates the home’s relationship to its surroundings—allowing life inside the house to flow upward, outward, and fully into the landscape it inhabits.

Pedro&Juana

Pedro&Juana is a studio founded in Mexico City by Ana Paula Ruiz Galindo and Mecky Reuss, who work on a variety of projects across different disciplines.