Polen arquitectura de paisaje is a Mexico City based design office focusing on interior and exterior landscape. It was founded in 2010 by architect Alejandra de la Cerda and industrial designer Ana Julia Carvajal, who both share a passion for nature and design. Today our office consists of a multidisciplinary team of fifteen employees including landscape architects, biologists, architects and industrial designers. In order to raise consciousness for our environment and the deep connection between man, space and nature, we strive to integrate landscape into human life. We do this at all scales: whether through a public space, a garden, a terrace, a balcony, an interior area, or an object.
Philosophy
Each project develops through a unique design process based on the needs of the client, the site and maintenance. By creating tailored spaces our work tells beautiful and inspiring stories that spark appreciation for green spaces in our everyday lives.
The essence of our work is not quantifying the green spaces in the city, but considering the quality of the plant selection, which results in a sustainable approach regarding the projects. In these climatically changing times we must evolve structures that combat urban environmental issues. The conscious design of landscape is therefore an urgent necessity. Our approach consists of the use of local materials and indigenous plants, focusing on the enhancement of biodiversity.
Lenpo
In 2017 Lenpo was founded. Operating as part of Polen de paisaje, it focuses on the development of a grand variety of interior products that deepen the understanding of the influence of vegetation on humans. “At Lenpo we believe that only plants can turn ordinary spaces into something unique.”
Above all Polen arquitectura de paisaje strives to make people aware of the plants and the world around us, resulting in the continuous search for life in any space.
As the name implies this project consists of eight gardens. It is a project in which the architecture revolves around the vegetation, producing the impression of the vegetation being a primordial element. All corridors and central axes of the house have a green “visual” finish. Each space has its own unique character, through the palette of colours, smells, types of plants and the concept that was designed in each one. Through the use of these different elements the surrounding architectural parts become a specific spatial experience. We confess that it is one of our favourite projects so far. JARDINES VIDEO
Achieving visual attraction by focusing on a dynamic and colourful landscape design around the house was the main goal of project Bosque real. Choosing vertical growing plants and a specific plant selection contributes to the harmony between architecture and landscape. The use of cold material such as schist, stone and concrete and warm colours of the plants create a beautiful play of contrasts.
Project Parque Rio de Janeiro includes a playground in Roma, a neighbourhood in Mexico City. Our intent was to create a safe and educational environment for playing children, both promoting physical activity and encouraging curiosity and imagination. Therefore, it was necessary to design a safe place that supports various activities and creates social cohesion among its users, being open for parents overlooking their children.
Employing illumination for safety and adventurous construction, the park achieves its goal. At the same time, carefully selected plants bring children into contact with the environment, subconsciously showing that nature is important in their growth and play activities. Innovative design combined with visual attraction – that is what we love about this project.
Due to the climate and state of soil San Miguel de Allende was one of the most challenging projects. With more than 1,500 m2 of green space, the landscape had great visual importance for house, which has a view of the large garden. We prepared the soil according to the site and selected an ideal plant palette for a semi-arid climate: a set of grasses, herbaceous plants, various types of shrubs and succulents. With the vegetation we generated a loose and natural design, playing with aromatic plants to create paths that had a distinctive smell. Water is also an important element of the landscape, encouraging contemplation while also attracting birds and other wildlife to the garden. A success story that, as time goes on, makes us fall in love with it more and more.
In this project the relationship between exterior and interior was carefully designed. Through the textures and colours of the landscape and materials of the house, Cumbres de Santa Fe integrates landscape and architecture. Large windows create important views of the garden. Two primary green spaces – one of stone and one of grass – each have charm and particularly while also blending with each other. The main grassy garden is full of different colours and textures. In the secondary stone garden, rock material subtly changes to blend into the textures of the surrounding vegetation. The entrance of the house is framed by a corridor of plants in a range of purple that contrasts with the wood and metal of the building. Finally, the main facade is made up of several horizontal planters parallel to each other with hanging and climbing vegetation, generating a great visual accent that counteracts the heavy metal of the house.
Published on December 19, 2018