Barde vanVoltt Softens Brutalism with Steel, Walnut and Curves in a Mexico City Penthouse

Brutalism has become a mood board shortcut: raw concrete, heavy volumes, and a vague promise of seriousness. In the Escandón neighborhood of Mexico City, the Amsterdam practice Barde vanVoltt (credited as Barde and vanVoltt) takes that shortcut and slows it down. Working with local architect and contractor José Muniz, the studio renovated a 300-square-metre, two-level penthouse for fashion designer Tony and writer Rafael. The clients asked for a "brutalist sanctuary" for themselves and their dogs, and the studio answered with what it calls "Warm Brutalism".

What makes the project worth your attention is not the label but the method behind it. The plan is H-shaped and organised around two light wells wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass, with the elevator and staircase gathered into a central bar clad in stainless steel. That bar does the heavy conceptual lifting. It is the monolith of the scheme, yet it reflects rather than absorbs, and around it the studio rounds corners, curves volumes, and layers walnut, textured stucco and stone. The result keeps brutalism's weight while removing most of its hostility.

A Kitchen Built Around Reflection

The living, dining and kitchen wing sets up the material argument clearly. Brushed stainless steel runs across the full-height storage doors, while smaller walnut cabinets and open shelves of stacked ceramics sit closer to hand. The dark stone end panel on the island reads as a carved block rather than a finish, which is precisely the brutalist instinct the studio wants to keep.

Steel here is not a cold accent. Placed next to sheer curtains and low sun, the polished panels catch daylight from the glazed wells and throw it back across the dining table and floor. You see the room twice: once directly, once softened in the metal. That doubling is the cleverest thing in the kitchen, and it costs nothing in floor area.

About the Studio

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