Suspended bridges connect round cabin hotels in Mexico
CategoriesArchitecture

Suspended bridges connect round cabin hotels in Mexico

Mexican architect María José Gutiérrez has placed a series of round, pine-clad cabins connected by suspended bridges onto a vineyard in Mexico to serve as vacation rentals.

Located in Valle de Guadalupe, Ensenada on the Baja Peninsula, Zeuhary Hospedaje Campestre includes a community lounge and four vacation rental cabins.

Round cabin with plunge poolRound cabin with plunge pool
Top: photo by Martin Acevedo. Above: the cabins are located in Baja California, Mexico. Photo by Jonatan Ruvalcaba Maciel

“Beyond creating spaces we aim to create experiences, where nature and human beings integrate and recognize each other,” María José Gutiérrez, who leads Mexican studio Arqos Arquitectura Arte Y Diseño, told Dezeen.

“The architecture and interior design were focused on connecting with the environment and maintaining harmony with it.”

Cabin bedroomCabin bedroom
Central bedrooms feature in the round buildings

Completed in June 2022, the 250 square metres (2,690 square feet) of built area is divided into five 40-square metre (430-square foot) structures that look outward to the surrounding wine region.

The ground floor of each cabin is divided orthogonally, splitting off a portion for a partially covered exterior porch that leads into the sleeping space through a glass sliding door.

BathroomBathroom
Their interiors are sectioned into bathrooms along one side

The interiors were sectioned into a bathroom along one side, a central bedroom and a kitchenette tucked behind the headboard wall.

“In the furniture and interior decoration, we used organic materials from the region and different areas of the country, earth tones and grey contrasts, crafts, natural fibers, textiles, local wood and stone, recognizing Mexican handicraft talent and tradition,” the studio said.

“The chukum finish on the interior walls gives an organic texture and helps keep the interiors cool in summer, while the exterior coating of recycled pine wood allows the cabins to be thermally insulated in both winter and summer for greater energy efficiency.”

Round jacuzzi in cabin gardenRound jacuzzi in cabin garden
Small private gardens feature round jacuzzis

The cabins are all rotated to face a particular northern or eastern view without compromising privacy for the occupants.

A small planted garden protected by a grey wall rings a quarter of each plan, terminated by a private in-ground jacuzzi, connected to the cabin by a wooden deck with planks that align with the vertical cladding boards as if the facade radiates down the wall and along the ground.

Rooftop terraceRooftop terrace
Rooftop terraces are included atop each cabin

Up a delicate metal spiral staircase with wooden treads, the round plan becomes a rooftop terrace complete with a rope net set into the roof of the porch like an integrated hammock.

A free-swinging wooden bridge with rope netting guard rails is suspended from the roof of each cabin and leads to the roof of the common area, allowing guests to congregate in a central location.

“The circular floor plan of the cabins, together with their transition spaces such as the hanging bridges, wooden paths and spiral staircases generate fluid and dynamic routes which allow us to reconnect with ourselves and awaken our inner child through play and movement,” the studio said.

In addition to the material selection that responds thermally to the environment, the design works to preserve what little water the agricultural region has, reusing grey water for the irrigation of the vineyards.

Round cabinsRound cabins
Zeuhary Hospedaje Campestre is positioned within a vineyard

Other cabins recently completed in Mexico include a house deconstructed and separated for glamping within a forest in Nuevo León by S-AR and a brutalist cube-shaped holiday home tucked into a pine forest in Alférez by Ludwig Godefroy.

The photography is by Jonatan Ruvalcaba Maciel unless otherwise stated. 


Project credits:

Architect: María José Gutiérrez
Engineering and construction: Specialized Urban Services



Reference

Tsumugu by Archipatch is a wooden house designed to connect with nature
CategoriesArchitecture

Tsumugu by Archipatch is a wooden house designed to connect with nature

Japanese architecture studio Archipatch has completed a house in the seaside city of Kagoshima that is built from timber and features a material palette chosen to complement its natural surroundings.

Tokyo-based Archipatch designed the Tsumugu house as a case study for local house builder Shichiro Construction, which wanted to utilise timber sourced from the Kyushu island where the company is based.

Japanese timber house by Archipatch
Archipatch made the Tsumugu house from locally sourced timber

The single-storey property was built to accommodate a family of four and aims to demonstrate how timber construction can be used to create comfortable and versatile living spaces.

“The house is designed to connect with nature,” said Archipatch, “and to realise a comfortable lifestyle in harmony with the ever-changing natural environment.”

Double-height living area through floor-to-ceiling glass window in Japanese house
The rooms of the house are spread across a single storey

In response to shifting domestic habits in Japan following the coronavirus pandemic, the building provides a variety of flexible spaces that allow the occupants to work and socialise at home.

The house comprises three interconnected volumes that are distinguished externally and internally by their different roof heights.

Timber exterior of Japanese home by Archipatch with overhangs and glass walls
Large overhanging eaves provide shading in the garden

The building was constructed with a wooden framework that is left exposed internally. Wood is also used extensively for cladding the walls and ceilings, with other natural materials chosen to complement the timber.

“The exterior and interior design is warm and inviting, using cedar, cypress, and natural stone grown in the region to give a sense of the texture that only natural materials can provide,” Archipatch added.

Visible timber structure in living area of Japanese house with curved desk
Shoji screens can be used to separate the Japanese room from the rest of the house

The main entrance is located in the central block and provides access to a lower volume to the left that houses a small boot room and three bedrooms.

A corridor leads past two single bedrooms to a suite at the far end with its own walk-in closet and study.

Directly in front of the entrance at the centre of the house is a Japanese-style room with a tatami-mat floor that can be used as a sitting room, a simple guest room or as a space for doing housework.

Traditional shoji screens made from wood and paper can be closed to separate the Japanese room from the rest of the house, or opened to provide different connections with the entrance and living spaces.

The main open-plan living areas are positioned to the right of the entrance in the tallest section of the house. At one end of the space sits a sunken lounge, which is lined on two sides with large windows looking onto the garden.

Sunken living room in open-plan living area by Archipatch with exposed beams and grey wall
The open-plan living space features a sunken lounge

Sections of the glazing can be opened to connect the living space with a terrace. This also allows the cool air passing over an adjacent pond to ventilate the interior.

Large overhanging eaves protect the elevations from direct sunlight, while operable clerestory windows allow hot air to escape.

Bathroom with glass door behind cabinet and back-lit mirror
A glass door in the bathroom can be opened for extra ventilation

Next to the lounge is a dining space and kitchen with a curved island. A bathroom behind the kitchen has a door in its rear wall that can be opened to enable cross ventilation through the house.

The house is designed to minimise energy consumption, with high levels of thermal insulation, a geothermal heating system and natural ventilation contributing to its sustainable performance.

Other homes in Japan include a mud-covered house and restaurant hidden below ground level and a compact family home with a large stairwell.

The photography is by Yousuke Harigane.

Reference