Peek inside this brutalist home in Mexico’s Guanajuato farmlands

Concrete and stone volumes stagger their way down the slope at Villa Ito in the heart of Mexico’s Guanajuato farmlands.

The freshly completed ranch is inspired by the minimalist works of Vincent Van Duysen, Axel Vervoordt and Donald Judd and was realised by an American music producer and his hotelier wife. The couple ditched the rat race for a quiet life in San Miguel de Allende, crafting the minimalist four-bedroom Mexican property over a four-year span.

A snaking creek – dry in summer, free-flowing during the rainy season – and an existing, centuries-old hand-made stone wall bisect the villa, which is encircled by a concrete wall and courtyard. Part zen, part native garden, it’s planted with mature bamboo and acacia trees that screen the house and lap pool while adding a burst of greenery through glass.

Photography: Sotheby’s International Realty

Villa Ito’s earthy interiors channel an array of soothing finishes from concrete floors and walls to rugged stone – exposed in sections to add texture and grit. The result is surprisingly warm and tactile – a neo-brutalist aesthetic that also champions views of the sky through immense spans of glazing, with monochromatic fixtures and bespoke wooden furniture heightening the look.

Sotheby’s International Realty is selling Villa Ito for $995,000, and the Mexican property is around a 20-minute drive from the historic centre of San Miguel de Allende. It occupies a six-acre estate surrounded by established farmland, hitting a sweet spot between remote and private.

In addition to the main house, there’s also a separate studio guesthouse. The complex could be geared for off-grid living, with three large water storage systems (plus water well and rain catchment systems), satellite internet and pre-wiring for solar panel installation. Villa Ito is presently managed by The Clark Group and offers earning potential as a bespoke holiday rental.