House with an observatory

The family house in Roca Blanca on a rocky promontory into the Pacific coast was designed by Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco, with the help of architect Tatiana Bilbao for its realization. Orozco drew inspiration from one of the astronomical observatories Jantar Mantar, built nearly two centuries ago in Jaipur, India, which the artist visited back in 1996. It is a replica of one of the nineteen astronomical constructions built at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries by Indian Raja Jai Singh II. Unlike its Indian prototype, the Mexican house is situated in a dramatic environment at the intersection of land and sea, where famous historical prototypes such as Casa Malaparte (1943) by Adalberto Libera on the island of Capri or Casa Bunker (1967) by Ciny Boeri on the island of Maddalena are also referenced.
The object, slightly elevated above the surrounding rocks, offers impressive views not only of the surrounding landscape but also from the roof terrace and circular pool at night, showcasing the starry sky. The water element in the middle of the house reveals a mystical paradigm of the concept of an observatory. At night, in the midst of this hemisphere, you may feel the temperature of the water, perceive the gravitational force, yet, when darkness surrounds you, you feel as if you are floating in emptiness. The absence of stylistic obsession lends this building an even stronger and more convincing expression.