Articles by Valentina Díaz

Selected as one of the winners of ArchDaily 2025 Next Practices Awards, NAAW represents a new generation of architectural studios reshaping contemporary practice in Central Asia. Founded in 2019 by Elvira Bakubayeva and Aisulu Uali, the studio operates at the intersection of research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and spatial experimentation, positioning architecture as a tool for reflection and an active agent in shaping contemporary Kazakhstani identity.

Ganadería Santillán is located in the heart of the Mexican Bajío, between Tequisquiapan and La Laja, a region with a deep ranching tradition and landscapes reminiscent of the paintings of José María Velasco. The commission consisted of designing a Plaza de Tientas and an Equestrian Training space for the ranch. From the outset, the project was conceived as an intervention integrated into the terrain not as an imposed structure, but as an extension of the landscape itself.

Ganadería Santillán is located in the heart of the Mexican Bajío, between Tequisquiapan and La Laja, a region with a deep ranching tradition and landscapes reminiscent of the paintings of José María Velasco. The commission consisted of designing a Plaza de Tientas and an Equestrian Training space for the ranch. From the outset, the project was conceived as an intervention integrated into the terrain not as an imposed structure, but as an extension of the landscape itself.

Ojo de Nila is a home shaped by the rhythms of the landscape in Bahía Ballena. Designed for a Swiss couple seeking a deeper connection to the environment, the house invites a lifestyle centered on living outdoors in comfort without air conditioning. Set on a secluded mountain with expansive ocean views and surrounded by abundant biodiversity, the home is completely open toward the Pacific so its inhabitants remain in constant dialogue with light, air, and the forest canopy.

Ojo de Nila is a home shaped by the rhythms of the landscape in Bahía Ballena. Designed for a Swiss couple seeking a deeper connection to the environment, the house invites a lifestyle centered on living outdoors in comfort without air conditioning. Set on a secluded mountain with expansive ocean views and surrounded by abundant biodiversity, the home is completely open toward the Pacific so its inhabitants remain in constant dialogue with light, air, and the forest canopy.

Located to the south of Mexico City, a residential house was designed with the goal of hosting gatherings and events — providing a space for family interaction and recreation — with a swimming lane as the main axis of the project.

Degrees is a geometric and optical device, doubling the 360-degree track of normal vision. The design originates from a central patio and from the ways in which the inner and outer worlds might interact with one another. Conceived as a solar clock that registers the passing of time, this off-the-grid house is many houses in one: during the day it frames a mountain and a volcano, opening up toward the varied views along the external perimeter of the circle; at night, it turns inward around a circular courtyard.