Casa Uno by CLACLÁ Taller de Arquitectura: A Subterranean Sanctuary Rooted in Earth and Silence

Located in the rugged terrain of Ensenada, Mexico, Casa Uno by CLACLÁ Taller de Arquitectura, led by Claudia Turrent and Axel De La Torre, is an architectural meditation on silence, sustainability, and the primal notion of refuge. Spanning 499 square meters, the home is not a structure that asserts itself onto the land but rather sinks into it—an intentional gesture aimed at reducing visual impact, improving energy efficiency, and harmonizing with the natural topography.

A Hidden Home in Dialogue with the Landscape

Casa Uno’s design philosophy is anchored in subtractive architecture. Most of the volume is embedded into the terrain, camouflaging it within the landscape and reducing perceived building density. This approach creates a quiet yet profound presence—one that prioritizes landscape restoration, eco-conscious living, and spatial serenity over architectural monumentality.

Upon entry, the house evokes the sensation of entering a cave—a timeless and archetypal form of shelter. This spatial gesture draws from humanity's earliest architecture, evoking deep feelings of safety and introspection. In this way, Casa Uno becomes both a literal and symbolic sanctuary.

Healing the Land Through Architecture

The act of burying a structure within the earth inevitably leaves a scar. The architects addressed this through a landscape regeneration strategy: all native vegetation disturbed during construction was preserved in a temporary nursery, to be later replanted. This ecological care is extended further through a passive water reuse system, which recycles household water for irrigation. Over time, the home’s footprint will be reabsorbed into the landscape, both physically and symbolically.

Material Honesty and Sensory Expression

One of the most compelling aspects of Casa Uno is its use of pigmented concrete, tinted to match the natural tones of the surrounding soil. Poured into wooden molds, the walls bear a polished, undulating texture—recalling weathered granite shaped by wind and time. Plastic sheeting used during molding serves dual purposes: first as a waterproofing agent, and later as insulation for the retaining walls. Even the wooden molds find a second life, repurposed as carpentry elements within the home—underscoring a design ethos rooted in circularity, reduction of waste, and material storytelling.

This deep commitment to material honesty allows textures and surfaces to speak of time, labor, and transformation. CLACLÁ’s architectural language favors elements with memory—materials that hold “scars” from previous use, lending the project an authentic, almost archeological character.

A Contemporary Cave of Quiet Radicalism

Casa Uno is not just a home—it’s a statement about restraint, reconnection, and reverence for place. It shows that architecture can be quiet and powerful, grounded yet sophisticated, modern yet timeless. In resisting the urge to dominate its environment, it instead celebrates and heals it, offering a new model for earth-sensitive design.

All Photographs are works of Axel de la Torre, Francisca D’Acosta, Gabriela C. Walter