Minimalist white building with a person walking beside it, against a concrete wall and tree.

A minimalist white building with clean lines and geometric shapes, featuring a person walking alongside it. The structure is set against a large concrete wall, with a tree visible in the background.

A minimalist building with a large concrete wall and white geometric structures surrounded by lush greenery.
A modern, white, box-like building partially obscured by lush greenery and trees.
A minimalist exterior view of a building with a white facade, featuring a small window. In the foreground, there is a tree with sparse foliage and a bush surrounded by dark rocks.
Interior view of a minimalist space featuring a circular window with a person looking out, a small garden with stones and plants, and a living area with wooden flooring and shoji doors.
A serene garden scene featuring a small tree and large stones on a gravel bed in front of a modern interior space with sliding shoji doors.
A minimalist interior space featuring a wooden platform surrounded by a stone garden with a tree and large rocks. The area is enclosed by white walls and shōji doors, creating a serene and contemplative atmosphere.
A serene courtyard with a wooden platform and a large stone, surrounded by small trees and gravel. The background features shōji doors leading to an interior space with warm lighting.
A minimalist interior courtyard featuring a central tree surrounded by gravel and large stones. Two wooden platforms are positioned on either side, and a circular window is visible above.
Interior view of a minimalist space featuring a wooden platform, gravel floor, and large stones. A rust-colored door is partially visible on the right.
A person sits on a wooden platform in a minimalist interior space featuring shoji screens and a central stone element.
A minimalist interior space featuring a central table with a stone centerpiece, surrounded by wooden flooring and walls. Shoji-style sliding doors open to a view of a small garden with rocks and a tree.
A minimalist interior space featuring a central stone placed in a recessed area filled with gravel, surrounded by wooden surfaces. In the background, there are white cabinets and a small framed picture.
Interior view of a room with shōji screens, a wooden floor, and a view of a minimalist garden with rocks and a small tree.
A person walking up a minimalist staircase with a stone at the top landing.
A minimalist bedroom featuring a circular window with a person standing in front of it. The room has a wooden floor, a bed with green bedding, and a simple bench with a framed picture leaning against the wall.
A minimalist bedroom with a green bedspread, a small rectangular window, and a stone sculpture on a shelf.
A person stands in a minimalist interior space, leaning against a wall with a circular window casting light on them. The room features wooden flooring and a simple bench.
Minimalist bedroom with a wooden headboard and a green bedspread.
Minimalist interior with wooden elements, white cabinetry, and a shoji screen.
Interior view of a minimalist room featuring a central table with a recessed area, surrounded by wooden surfaces. The room opens to a garden area with rocks and a small tree, visible through sliding shōji doors.
A minimalist interior space featuring a central wooden table with a stone centerpiece, surrounded by wooden flooring and walls. A person stands near shōji-style sliding doors, allowing soft light to filter through.
Interior view of a minimalist kitchen with white cabinetry and a wooden ceiling. The space features a simple countertop with a sink, and there is a pathway with stones visible through an open door.
Interior view of a minimalist room featuring a wooden platform with a central recessed area, surrounded by dark wood paneling. A shoji screen is visible in the background, allowing soft light to filter through.
A circular window with a cross-shaped frame casting shadows on a dark wall.
Architectural floor plan of a building featuring a central courtyard with a tree and surrounding rooms.
Architectural floor plan with contour lines indicating topography and a rectangular building layout.
Architectural section drawing showing two building volumes with trees and human figures for scale.
A minimalist architectural elevation drawing of a rectangular building on a sloped terrain, with two trees and a human figure for scale.
Architectural section drawing of a house showing two levels and a central courtyard with a tree.
Architectural section drawing of a house on a sloped terrain, showing two main volumes connected by an open space with a tree.
A black and white architectural section drawing showing two separate volumes with interior spaces and human figures for scale.
Architectural detail drawing of The Architect's House, showing front and side sections with labeled components and circular insets highlighting specific construction details.
A watercolor and ink architectural sketch featuring a simplistic building facade with abstract color washes in blue and pink.

Story

A contemplative residence in Morelia, embracing void and Zen philosophy. Kehai House, designed by HW Studio, is a profound exploration of space and void, drawing inspiration from Zen philosophy and Japanese aesthetics. Located in Morelia, Michoacán, México, the house is a personal project of the architect, reflecting a journey towards simplicity and introspection. From the exterior, the house presents itself as a quiet, stone-like box within the urban landscape. However, this apparent hermeticism conceals a delicate stone garden at its heart, reminiscent of Kyoto's temples. The garden, with its carefully arranged stones, serves not as decoration but as the organizing core of the house, around which the living spaces orbit. The interior is defined by its minimalism and the absence of unnecessary elements. The kitchen and dining area, with its double-height ceiling, and the living room are separated by an open passage, encouraging interaction with the elements. Shoji doors, crafted from rice paper, filter light into soft, time-infused shadows, creating a serene atmosphere. The bedroom, a minimal and intimate space, features a singular circular window offering views of a central tree, reinforcing the connection between the interior and the natural world. The house eschews glass, with only three small windows framing views of the surrounding landscape. The entrance descends, a gesture of humility, aligning with the spiritual ethos of the design. This descent symbolizes a bowing before the sacredness of the space.

## Design Highlights

Central stone garden as the organizing heart Minimalist interior with double-height kitchen and dining area Shoji doors for soft, time-infused light Intimate bedroom with a circular window Descending entrance as a spiritual gesture

## Key Facts

Key Detail Description
Location Morelia, Michoacán, México
Completion Year 2025
Size 95 m²
Budget 82,000 USD
Lead Architect Rogelio Vallejo Bores
Structural Engineer Abdiel Nuñez Gaona

Technical Summary

Finishes

  • Wall Finish: White plaster walls
  • Floor Finish: Wooden flooring

Materials

  • Concrete — Exterior walls
  • Wood — Flooring and platforms
  • Paper — Shōji doors
  • Stone — Garden elements
  • Gravel — Garden bed

Construction / Systems

  • Structural System: The house uses a concrete structure with minimal glass, focusing on inward-looking spaces.

Products

  • Not specified

Palette / Lighting

  • Colors: white, natural wood tones, green from plants, gray from stones
  • Lighting: Soft, natural lighting filtered through shōji doors

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