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In Monterrey, Mexico, architect Alejandro Herrasti Ordaz has designed a grand, streamlined residence. "It's a kind of oasis in the city," he offers. A sculpture by Ingo Maurer hangs at the main entrance.

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The interior pool. "The beautiful thing is the reflection from the skylight," he says. Armchairs, Fendi.

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"The pool pavilion's cantilevered ceiling provides a horizontal frame to vistas of the Sierra Madre Oriental to the south," notes Herrasti Ordaz.

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The master bedroom has views of the south garden. Leather sofa, Roche-Bobois.

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A sliding glass screen encloses an air-conditioned area of the pool pavilion. "The owners felt that if they left it open, it would be too hot," he explains. Adjacent to the pavilion is a professional-size soccer field where the residents' children play.