Studio Ixtla – “Ixtli” is the face, “tla” is abundance, or also the counterpart.
The term ‘Ixtla’ can be understood in different ways, with interpretations revolving around the visible, the obvious, the vast. The word comes from the Aztec language, Nahuatl, and for me it means ‘face to face’. “Ixtli” is the face, ‘tla’ is abundance, or also the counterpart.
Located at an altitude of 2,000 metres in a subtropical highland climate near Mexico City, this village is unspoilt, with a village church, school and lively community life. From here, you have a sweeping view of the valley, the lake and the mountains in the distance.
It all starts with reddish-brown, clayey soil. Macedonio pressed it into his own mould, fired it and stacked it. The bricks were delivered in batches of 1,000 and processed here by Leopoldo. Knowing the story behind their creation creates a connection to the people and the built space. It is this connection that creates value.
Working for ETH Zurich D-Arch | Corporate Design Studio Foundations
It’s the same for me in my creative work process. The people, the exchange and the struggle to achieve the end result are important. It is often the difficult processes that create close bonds and trust.
