Mexican architect Juan Carlos Ramos has brought the ancient past to the 21st century with a striking design for a pyramid-shaped house.

Pyramids were built by many ancient civilizations the world over and for thousands of years, they stood as the largest structures on Earth.

Pyramid House, designed by Juan Carlos Ramos as a countryside home, offers a futuristic look, but its design is based on these ancient structures.

The design concepts behind pyramids, with the majority of the weight closer to the ground, means that less mass higher up on the pyramid will be pushing down from above, allowing early civilizations to create stable monumental structures.

pyramid house

Only one of the four triangular facades is open and made with transparent glass.

The Pyramid House prototype features three floors of residential space, including a living/dining room, a kitchen, a garage and a record studio in the ground floor; the main bedroom, a bathroom and a swimming pool in the first level; and a library, with another bedroom and balcony in the second level. A spiral staircase connects the levels.

Only one of the four triangular facades is open and made with transparent glass, offering a strong connection to the surrounding landscape and great views. The other three sides are closed off, though they feature small windows that allow plenty of natural light into the interior. In addition, there is a cantilevered balcony and a sliding wall that serves as a garage entry.

pyramid house

There is one balcony and a sliding wall that is the entrance to the garage.

The different-sized windows, displayed in the facades in seemingly random place, give the building a dynamic appearance, particularly at night when the interior is lit.

Pyramid House's geometry helps to make it an energy efficient building. Compared with a traditional rectangular building with the same floor plan dimensions and the same height, the pyramid has fewer cubic metres of space, meaning less energy is required to heat or cool it.

pyramid house diagram

Floor plans and elevations schemes.

The project is suitable for various climates and landscapes, offering good resilience in extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain or snow. Because of its steep roofs/walls, it does not accumulate water or snow. The building is also resistant to strong winds.

A small and simple ventilation system atop the building diverts warm air, meaning it is easy to regulate the internal temperature during warmer months. Solar panels can be easily installed on the steep exterior walls, reinforcing the sustainable building concept.

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