Mexican architecture studio Pedro & Juana has completed an innovative residential project called the Wooden Annex, featuring a striking pine staircase that bridges two structures on a sloped site in Valle de Bravo, Mexico. The project involved opening up the roof of an existing 1980s house to install the distinctive wooden tunnel staircase, which connects the original building to a new two-story extension built higher up on the hillside.
The original house was designed by architect José Iturbe in the 1980s and featured two stories with a massive covered terrace facing the lake. Pedro & Juana preserved most of the materials and structure of the original building, making careful repairs where needed and incorporating key design elements from the existing structure. The studio specifically drew inspiration from the blue rafters on the original terrace, repeating this distinctive blue color scheme throughout the new addition.
The new addition was constructed using kiln-dried pine in a classic stick-frame configuration, adding essential living spaces including additional bedrooms, expanded kitchen areas, and service facilities. On the primary level, the kitchen was extended from the side of the original structure and opened up to a newly configured exterior courtyard. This courtyard, covered with rafters painted in the same blue color as those in the original terrace, serves as a connecting element between the old and new structures.
The most remarkable feature of the project is the enclosed wooden staircase that dramatically bridges the gap between the two buildings. This tunnel-like passageway passes over an existing brick staircase that leads from the entrance up the slope and down into the newly created courtyard. The studio constructed this unique connection using two steel U-beams and dried pine, punching the structure through the terracotta roof of the original building. Porthole windows along the sides of the staircase bring natural light into the pine-lined interior.
"Since the house is positioned at the bottom of a mountain, the original house is full of stairs, which even serve as an interior design element for potted flowers and glass vases," the studio explained. "We were inspired by them and wanted to expand that gesture onto the tunnel that connects both houses. Plus, it helps you access the roof of the wooden annexe when needed." The architects drew inspiration from the original stepped staircases that traversed the site when designing this connecting element.
The interior design heavily features the same kiln-dried pine used in construction, with blue details incorporated into the casework and window frames that echo the blue rafters from the original structure. In the bathroom, the studio installed custom Talavera tiles layered on the walls, adding a distinctive Mexican craftsmanship element. The bottom floor of the annexe houses mechanical systems, while the upper floor provides expanded living space with bedrooms and a living area that appears to float above the landscape. An additional terrace was placed at the back of the structure, offering views of the surrounding hillside.
Beyond serving as a practical expansion for the client to accommodate more family members, the project also supports Pedro & Juana's broader La Liga de la Madera initiative, which aims to promote wood construction throughout Mexico. "You can say it served as a laboratory to prove that designing with wood in Mexico is possible, beautiful, and a more sustainable answer than the omnipresent construction with everything concrete," the studio stated. This philosophy influenced their decision to leave much of the wood exposed throughout the project.
The choice to showcase exposed wood also pays homage to Austrian architect Adolf Loos and his architectural philosophy. "This project was about building with wood, so we wanted it to be a statement," Pedro & Juana explained. "The decision to leave it bare seemed like an appropriate response. Maybe a bit Loosian of us to allow the material to be the ornament." This approach aligns with a growing trend among Mexican architectural studios that are increasingly emphasizing wood construction in their projects.
The Wooden Annex represents part of a broader movement in Mexican architecture toward sustainable timber construction. Other Mexican studios have been similarly promoting wood construction methods, including recent projects from PPA that created Mexico's first all-mass-timber structure and various installations for Mextropoli that specifically emphasize wood as a building material. The photography for the project was completed by Ramiro Chaves, documenting the successful integration of traditional and contemporary architectural elements in this unique Valle de Bravo residence.
