Located on a steep rocky cliff next to the scenic Punta Cometa in Mazunte, Mexico, rises Casa Diez Pies — an elevated dwelling designed by Studio Font to rest lightly on the land. Rather than fight the rocky, sloping terrain, the studio designed the home to rise above it. The cascade of elevated slabs and roofs is held up by ten sculptural concrete “feet,” opening up to panoramic views of sea and forest across its terraces, rooftops, and every window in between.

Casa Diez Pies is made up of four repeating architectural models, each one shifted slightly for the home to follow the natural slope of the land. These concrete feet that touch down on the rock are more than just individual footings — hollowed out at home level, they serve as closets, bathrooms, storage space, and mechanical rooms. In the tallest module, they were spacious enough to house bedrooms and staircases that wind up through the rocks to the entrance. 

To mimic the rounded, organic curves of nearby Punta Cometa — a rocky peninsula west of Mazunte — the studio used hand-bent steel reinforcements and custom curved molds for the concrete, even tinting the concrete to match the color of the rocky ground. Meanwhile, the overhanging roofs and shaded terraces were crafted from wood. Local hardwood, built to resist the humidity and salt air, was used for the home’s shutters. 

Featuring open, breezy spaces and large openings, Casa Diez Pies blurs the line between shelter and landscape. The upper terraces, an elevated pool, and sundecks are communal areas for family and friends to gather. 

The result is a home that’s light on the environmental footprint, and heavy on its intent to dissolve into the landscape, resulting in a home that shines the spotlight on the surrounding landscape rather than on itself. With its light environmental footprint and subtle presence, the home dissolves into the terrain, making it feel less like an object placed on the land, and more like an extension of it.

Photography © Albers Studio