Built-in couch in concrete home
CategoriesInterior Design

Ten Mexican holiday homes characterised by earthy hues

Built-in couch in concrete home

From a brutalist dwelling nestled in a pine forest to a beachy weekend retreat with a rooftop swimming pool, our latest lookbook features 10 holiday homes across Mexico.

While known for their often vibrant colours, Mexican interiors also include many examples of more muted designs. These earthy hues are often created through the use of natural and local materials, such as wood and stone.

Holiday homes are located all over the country, which has a varied landscape and is famous for its escapist destinations. Here are 10 Mexican holiday homes that combine pared-back colour palettes with getaway-style luxury.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring metal furniture, breakfast nooks and living spaces with swings.


Built-in couch in concrete homeBuilt-in couch in concrete home
Top and above: photos by Rory Gardiner

Casa Alférez, Alférez, by Ludwig Godefroy

This holiday home is a brutalist dwelling clad in board-formed concrete and located in a pine forest in the country’s Alférez region.

French architect Ludwig Godefroy, who is Mexico City-based, added a conversation pit to the cathedral-like living area, which features a spindly double-height fireplace.

Find out more about Casa Alférez ›


Gardenia HouseGardenia House
Photo by LGM Studio

Holiday home, San Simón El Alto, by Estudio Atemporal

Local architecture office Estudio Atemporal designed a weekend retreat in San Simón El Alto village with an oversized gabled roof.

Inside, the studio created a statement brick wall in the angular, open-plan living space defined by timber and concrete accents. Generous glass doors lead to a covered outdoor patio.

Find out more about this holiday home ›


Villa CavaVilla Cava
Photo by César Béjar

Villa Cava, Tulum, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura

Neutral tones and textures define this house in Tulum that was informed by cenotes – ancient sunken water-filled limestone pits and caves found across Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

Espacio 18 Arquitectura carved a circular window into one of the home’s ceilings, which reveals a rooftop swimming pool. Blue-coloured light filters through the opening, emphasising the cavernous atmosphere.

Find out more about Villa Cava ›


Interior design by Gala Sánchez-ReneroInterior design by Gala Sánchez-Renero
Photo by Diego Padilla Magallanes

La Extraviada, Mazunte, by Em-Estudio

Architecture firm Em-Estudio stepped a pair of concrete residential volumes down a rocky hillside overlooking the coastal town of Mazunte, Oaxaca.

Called La Extraviada, the holiday home includes an eclectic kitchen and dining space flanked by floor-to-ceiling timber shutters that open onto a terrace with a swimming pool.

Regional materials, including guapinol wood and local stone obtained from nearby quarries, feature throughout the earthy-hued project.

Find out more about La Extraviada ›


Lounge with red sofa, Casa Tres Árboles in Valle de Bravo by DireccionLounge with red sofa, Casa Tres Árboles in Valle de Bravo by Direccion
Photo by Fabian Martinez

Casa Tres Árboles, Valle de Bravo, by Direccion

Architecture studio Direccion took cues from “monastic” sanctuaries when renovating this weekend retreat in Valle de Bravo.

The open-plan living space includes exposed warm-toned wooden ceiling beams, which contrast against dark-painted walls. A soft-red sofa adds a rare pop of colour to the otherwise muted interiors.

Find out more about Casa Tres Árboles ›


Los Terrenos by Tatiana BilbaoLos Terrenos by Tatiana Bilbao
Photo by Rory Gardiner

Los Terrenos, Monterrey, by Tatiana Bilbao

Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao added a multifunctional ceramic screen to the interior of Los Terrenos – a holiday home in Monterrey with mirrored glass facades that reflect the surrounding wooded site.

“[The screen] works as solid and permeable floor, a screen partition, a structural wall, and as a semi-open wall that allows ventilation and sunlight to bathe the interior spaces,” explained Bilbao’s eponymous studio.

Find out more about Los Terrenos ›


Tonalli House staircaseTonalli House staircase
Photo by Ansatz

Tonalli House, Jalisco, by Moises Sánchez 

This stucco-clad holiday home was punctuated with strategic openings and takes cues from architecture commonly found in Mexican villages, according to its designer Moises Sánchez.

Sánchez created an understated interior palette referencing the nearby architecture surrounding Lake Chapa, where the home is located. For example, the blocky terrazzo staircase doubles as a stepped plinth for sandy-coloured ornaments.

Find out more about Tonalli House ›


CO-LAB Design Office made the house out of concreteCO-LAB Design Office made the house out of concrete
Photo by César Béjar

Casa Areca, Tulum, by CO-LAB Design Office

Local studio CO-LAB Design Office created Casa Areca to merge with its lush Tulum setting.

The open-plan ground floor includes pivot doors and retractable glass walls, which enable the social area to flow into the jungle-like garden. Creamy walls and polished concrete floors were paired with local tzalam wood, jute accents and ceramic vases filled with hand-selected wild grasses.

Find out more about Casa Areca ›


Living space of El AguacateLiving space of El Aguacate
Photo by Dove Dope

El Aguacate, El Barrial, by Práctica Arquitectura

El Aguacate – or “The Avocado” – is a holiday home in El Barrial village made almost entirely out of concrete.

Práctica Arquitectura topped the main living area with a tall pyramidal roof featuring a boxy skylight. The studio added a built-in fireplace and alter-like dining table to the space – also made from smooth concrete.

Find out more about El Aguacate ›


A large table in the shady dining areaA large table in the shady dining area
Photo by Rafael Gamo

Casa Cova, Puerto Escondidio, by Anonimous

When designing Casa Cova in Puerto Escondido, Mexican studio Anonimous took cues from pre-colonial architecture.

Inside, the central living space is kept cool by a traditional thatched roof made of dried palm leaves, called a “palapa.” Tiny square openings were also cut into some of the walls, creating “a dynamic light pattern from dusk till dawn”.

Find out more about Casa Cova ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring metal furniture, breakfast nooks and living spaces with swings.

Reference

Los Helechos by Taller Hector Barroso
CategoriesArchitecture

Taller Héctor Barroso envisions Mexican houses as “silent architecture”

Los Helechos by Taller Hector Barroso

Mexican studio Taller Héctor Barroso has used concrete, wood and brick to create a series of holiday homes that merge with the wooded landscape and “allow nature to act in the intimacy of the home”.

The small residential complex – called Los Helechos, or The Ferns – is located in Valle de Bravo, a scenic area that is a couple hours by car from Mexico City.

Los Helechos by Taller Hector BarrosoLos Helechos by Taller Hector Barroso
Taller Hector Barroso has created a series of holiday homes in Mexico. Top photo by Jaime Navarro

The 1,150-square-metre complex consists of four identical houses that sit side by side on a sloped property within Rancho Avándaro, a golf and recreational community.

The architecture studio designed the homes to integrate with the tree-studded landscape and to enable nature to flow indoors.

A courtyard with multiple plainsA courtyard with multiple plains
The four residences sit side by side on a slope

“Los Helechos is a group of houses designed to allow nature to act in the intimacy of the home, creating a silent architecture to accompany the beauty of their gardens,” said Taller Hector Barroso, a studio based in Mexico City.

“The four houses stealthily adapt to the steep slope of the terrain, respecting the existing topography and vegetation to minimize their impact on the site,” the studio added.

An armchair placed next to fireplaceAn armchair placed next to fireplace
Each house faces a central courtyard. Photo by Jaime Navarro

Each house has two levels and a basement. The homes are C-shaped in plan and feature rectilinear volumes arranged around a central courtyard filled with native plants.

“The houses look inward through a central courtyard that becomes a space of transition and contemplation – an area between public and private, allowing the entire house to maintain a direct relationship with nature,” the team said.

To construct the buildings, the team used concrete, pine and red brick plastered with soil-based stucco. Windows are framed with ipe wood, and a pergola is made of laminated pine.

Interior finishes include oak doors and stucco-covered walls, along with floors covered in cantera – a type of stone that came from a local quarry.

Room with exposed wooden beamsRoom with exposed wooden beams
The studio used concrete, pine and red brick plastered with stucco for finishes. Photo by Jaime Navarro

The ground level encompasses two bedrooms and a mix of indoor and outdoors spaces for cooking, dining and lounging. The upper level contains two bedrooms, and the basement holds storage space and a garage.

Founded in 2011, Taller Hector Barroso has completed a range of projects around its home state of Mexico, such as a caramel-coloured apartment complex in Mexico City and a stark tennis venue in Los Cabos made of rammed earth.

The photography is by César Béjar unless otherwise stated


Project credits:

Architect: Héctor Barroso
Team: Alan Rojas, Alice Moreno, Paloma Sánchez, Salvador Saracho

Reference

Will cashless credits sow the seeds of success for Mexican farmers?
CategoriesSustainable News

Will cashless credits sow the seeds of success for Mexican farmers?

Will cashless credits sow the seeds of success for Mexican farmers?

Spotted: Mexico is one of the world’s leading food producers, but more than 90 per cent of farmers lack access to formal financing, limiting their opportunities to invest properly in their fields. But Mexican agri-fintech Verqor is hoping to change that with its digital solutions for farmers. 

The startup is working to make credit accessible to every farmer in Mexico by using a financing process that takes into account the sector’s specific characteristics. Verqor analyses the actual paying capacity of a farmer by considering various data points, including normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) factors (the greenness and density of crops), supply chain trends, weather patterns, and changes in crop prices. Unlike most traditional financial providers, Verqor also reviews information like a farm’s sales history, any contracts for selling their crops, and past inputs. This gives a more comprehensive view of a farm so Verqor can better assess credit viability.  

Verqor provides cashless credit quickly, so farmers can access the inputs they need to grow crops, including fertilisers, agrochemicals, organic products, trailers, and macrotunnels. Farmers repay the credit with their produce sales at the end of the crop cycle. This financing covers up to 90 per cent of a farmer’s initial costs, allowing them to invest in essential inputs that can help to improve produce quality and yields every cycle. 

The startup recently raised $7.5 million (around €6.9 million), including $4 million (around €3.7 million) in a pre-series A round led by Yara Growth Ventures. The funding will allow Verqor to expand its operations in Mexico and broaden its network. Verqor is also further developing its technology so that its approval process can be seven times faster than normal financing options. 

Springwise has spotted many innovations looking to digitise and reshape various industries, including an all-in-one digital health clinic for women, as well as a digital platform for energy retailers.

Written By: Anam Alam

Reference

Angular basalt-clad house in Mexico
CategoriesArchitecture

Reims 502 places pool atop basalt-clad Mexican home

Angular basalt-clad house in Mexico

Local studio Reims 502 has unveiled an expansive residence in Querétaro, Mexico with warm walnut and dark basalt finishes and a rooftop pool and garden area.

Mexico-based designers Eduardo Reims and Andrea Maldonado, who work under the name Reims 502, completed the 1,000-square metre Casa Basaltica on a quarter-acre lot in 2023.

Angular basalt-clad house in Mexico
Warm walnut and dark basalt define the Mexican home

The house sits along a bike path that surrounds a lake. The challenge of the site was to create private interior space for the residents that did not sacrifice the view.

“The answer was simple,” the team told Dezeen, “Reverse the planting of the program compared to the neighboring houses.”

Walnut-clad rooms at house by Reims 502
Private, recreation and family spaces are located on the ground floor

All of the private, recreation and family spaces are located on the ground floor, creating a foundation that comprises the site’s entire buildable footprint.

Four suites are lined along one side of the property, creating a layered sawtooth transition with a screened porch that runs down the slanted edge of the trapezoidal house.

Casa Basaltica by Reims 502
Casa Basaltica sits on a quarter-acre lot

Movable shutters made out of thin basalt stone bars enclose the porch like blinds and serve as a thermal buffer that negates the need for air conditioning.

All of the public spaces – living room, dining room, kitchen and terrace – were placed on the top floor and arranged around a large garden and pool. The upper floor spaces are set back from the perimeter of the house on the park side to create another layer of privacy.

Rectilinear home and swimming pool by Reims 502
Reims 502 added a swimming pool to the garden

The service areas are located underground with a side courtyard for ventilation and natural lighting.

The home’s dark material palette is also a departure from the light-coloured schemas used for the neighbouring houses.

Dining table within home by Reims 502
Walnut also features on the interior

The exterior is clad in bands of durable, resilient basalt stone, arranged in thin vertical panels. The material changes where the facade steps back from the build line, trading stone for multi-toned walnut planks at the garage and the rounded corner entryway.

The walnut staves continue to the interior “creating an atmosphere of warmth and timelessness inside.”

The top-floor public zones have a walnut-wrapped colonnade that creates a transition from the garden to the interior and shades the floor-to-ceiling glass, which maintains the views out to the park.

In addition to the cross ventilation that cools the top floor areas, solar panels for water heating and energy generation as well as a water recycling system were implemented to “contribute to its overall sustainable performance,” the studio explained.

Movable shutters made from basalt
Movable shutters made out of thin basalt stone bars enclose the porch

Rather than departing from Querétaro’s vernacular architecture like Reims 502 did, Gestalt Associates took cues from the area’s colonial roots with light, airy spaces in a brick and concrete home nearby.

Other projects that have basalt elements on the facade include a holiday home in Hawaii by Walker Warner Architects.

The photography is by Ariadna Polo.


Project credits:

Architecture: Reims 502
Team: Eduardo Reims, Andrea Maldonado
Contractor: Ramon Campillo
Structure: Sergio Ruiz
Decoration: Mavi González

Reference

Studio RC embeds equestrian complex into Mexican landscape
CategoriesArchitecture

Studio RC embeds equestrian complex into Mexican landscape

Studio RC embeds equestrian complex into Mexican landscape

Stables linked by steel bridges and a clubhouse with a cantilevered terrace feature at the Hípico Piedra Grande equestrian complex in rural Mexico, designed by Studio RC.

Located in Huixquilucan in the State of Mexico, the complex includes a rectilinear clubhouse and a block of stables surrounded by gravel roads and green areas and meandering riding trails.

Hípico Piedra Grande equestrian complex is located in rural Mexico

Mexican architecture office Studio RC  arranged the building around a central patio and positioned it on the hillside to complement the natural surroundings.

The low-slung clubhouse was constructed from a skeleton of columns and steel beams, which are also exposed on the interior.

Rectilinear clubhouse with a cantilevered terrace by Studio RC
The clubhouse’s terrace cantilevers off the hillside

The building’s facade is defined by rugged stone walls and a timber roof – materials sourced from the area.

“The project seeks to alter the site as little as possible, looking for a contemporary language that in turn was appropriate for the context,” said the studio.

Steel bridge with a horse standing on it
Steel bridges connect the stables

A gap was created between the clubhouse’s stone retaining walls and its interior spaces in order to create cross ventilation, while the building’s terrace gently cantilevers off the hillside.

Spread across three modules on two levels, the stables are positioned below the clubhouse and are connected by steel bridges, which create another open central patio used for walking horses.

Sawtooth roof on a grey stable
One module is topped by a sawtooth roof

Dark grey concrete was used for the angular facade, while each module is characterised by sets of wooden shutters.

The stables’ uniform geometry is interrupted only by a sawtooth roof that tops one of the modules and takes advantage of natural light during the day and also captures rainwater for reuse.

Inside, Studio RC chose a recycled material for the stables’ flooring, which was designed to control the acoustics as well as provide suitable traction for walking horses.

The clubhouse interiors feature a similar simplicity. Board-formed concrete walls match pared-back neutral furniture while floor-to-ceiling glazing provides expansive views of the surrounding greenery.

Minimalist interior design within clubhouse at equestrian complex
The clubhouse features minimalist interiors

Elsewhere in Mexico, 1540 Arquitectura created stables from a series of triangular structures while Matias Zegers Architects inserted a skylight along the ridge of a stable near Santiago in Chile.

The photography is by Cesar Belio

Reference

Casa Alférez, Cañada De Alferes, by Ludwig Godefroy in roundup on brutalist Mexican houses
CategoriesInterior Design

Eight brutalist Mexican home interiors proving concrete isn’t always cold

Casa Alférez, Cañada De Alferes, by Ludwig Godefroy in roundup on brutalist Mexican houses

Raw concrete surfaces are softened by timber and plenty of daylight inside these Mexican houses, rounded up here as part of our latest lookbook.

Many of these brutalist interiors leave their concrete shells exposed and their cavernous rooms largely unadorned.

But freed of the constraints posed by frigid temperatures, they also create a greater connection to the outside, whether overlooking Puerto Escondido’s wave-swept beaches or nestled in the bustling metropolis of Mexico City.

Here, concrete surfaces help to create a sense of seamlessness between indoor and outdoor spaces – often separated only by removable partitions – while unfinished natural materials, such as wood or stone, are brought into the interior.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with exposed services, primary-coloured living spaces and houses with outdoor showers.


Casa Alférez, Cañada De Alferes, by Ludwig Godefroy in roundup on brutalist Mexican houses
Photo by Rory Gardiner

Casa Alférez, Cañada De Alferes, by Ludwig Godefroy

Tucked away in the forest outside Cañada De Alferes near Mexico City, this brutalist holiday home has a board-formed concrete shell.

This is left on display throughout its entire interior, all the way down to the bedrooms (top image) and the double-height lounge (above).

To bring a sense of homeliness to its otherwise spartan living spaces, architect Ludwig Godefroy added warm wooden floors and lush pops of green – as seen across upholstery and lighting fixtures.

Find out more about Casa Alférez ›


Casa del Sapo by Espacio 18 Arquitectura in Oaxaca, Mexico
Photo by Onnis Luque and Fabian Martinez

La Casa del Sapo, Playa Zapotengo, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura

The kitchen of this seafront home – set right on Oaxaca’s Zapotengo beach – can be merged with its neighbouring patio using a wide wooden folding door.

All-around concrete helps to underline this fusion, while also serving a practical function in the form of a kitchen island and matching shelves.

Find out more about La Casa del Sapo ›


The Hill in Front of the Glen, Morelia, by HW Studio
Photo by César Béjar

The Hill in Front of the Glen, Morelia, by HW Studio

Reminiscent of the Hobbit houses in JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, this sunken home is nestled into a hillside in the forests of Michoacán in central Mexico.

The building’s interiors are defined by its concrete vaulted ceilings, which can be seen in every room, while log benches and full-height glazing provide a visual link to the woodland outside.

Find out more about The Hill in Front of the Glen ›


Casa Mérida by Ludwig Godefroy
Photo by Rory Gardiner

Casa Mérida, Mérida, by Ludwig Godefroy

Mayan architecture and craftsmanship informed the design of this otherwise brutalist house in Yucatán state, which is considered the capital of the indigenous civilisation.

The home’s perimeter walls, for example, have joints covered in stone splinters that take cues from the design of Mayan pyramids and temples. These are left exposed on the interior alongside the concrete ceilings, creating a rich medley of architectural references.

Find out more about Casa Mérida ›


Pachua by PPAA from roundup on brutalist Mexican houses
Photo by Rafael Gamo

Pachuca Apartments, Mexico City, by PPAA

Concrete slabs pave both the patio and living spaces in this Mexico City house to create a sense of continuity, only separated by a full-height glass wall that can be completely pushed open.

On the interior, the rough concrete finishes are contrasted with details in American white oak, among them a long dining table as well as a staircase with treads that slot into a huge bookshelf.

Find out more about Pachuca Apartments ›


Casa UC, Morelia, by Daniela Bucio Sistos
Photo by Dane Alonso and Mariano Renteria Garnica

Casa UC, Morelia, by Daniela Bucio Sistos

Neutral colours and tactile materials are found throughout this home in the city of Morelia, including raw concrete ceilings and floors finished in a honey-toned tropical timber called caobilla.

In the library, the same wood was also used to form integrated shelves and a huge porthole window that can be pivoted open and closed like a door.

Find out more about Casa UC ›


Casa Aguacates, Valle de Bravo, by Francisco Pardo
Photo by Sandra Pereznieto

Casa Aguacates, Valle de Bravo, by Francisco Pardo

Mexican architect Francisco Pardo repurposed the pinewood formwork used in the process of constructing this concrete house to form a series of partition walls throughout the home.

The resulting interior layout is simple and fluid and centres on an open-plan kitchen, dining area and living room that open up onto a sunken garden.

Find out more about Casa Aguacates ›


ZIcatela House by Ludwig Godefroy
Photo by Rory Gardiner

Zicatela, Puerto Escondido, by Emmanuel Picault and Ludwig Godefroy

Set in the small surf town of Puerto Escondido, this weekend home accommodates its main living areas inside a covered patio and is made almost entirely of concrete.

The only exceptions are the doors and sliding louvred wood screens that can be used to open the space up to the gardens on either side, as well as a few sparse furnishings such as the low-slung dining table, which is made from a cross-sectioned tree trunk.

Find out more about Zicatela ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with exposed services, primary-coloured living spaces and houses with outdoor showers.

Reference

Warm-toned bedroom with timber wardrobe and floor-to-ceiling windows looking onto rocky terrain
CategoriesArchitecture

PPAA submerges bedrooms of Mexican house into stony terrain

Warm-toned bedroom with timber wardrobe and floor-to-ceiling windows looking onto rocky terrain

Local architecture studio PPAA has completed the Echegaray house in the State of Mexico, which features bedrooms looking out to the rocky excavated ground and a communal living space on the top floor with panoramic views.

PPAA created the Mexican house to appear like a black stone rising from the rocky terrain.

Warm-toned bedroom with timber wardrobe and floor-to-ceiling windows looking onto rocky terrain
Rocky terrain surrounding the bedrooms provides privacy

Topped with a wooden pavilion, the Echegaray house has a reversed layout compared to typical houses, with communal spaces on the top floor and bedrooms on the floor below.

The stone terrain surrounding the bedrooms helps to add a sense of privacy and connection to nature.

A dark empty room with floor-to-ceiling window looking onto rocky terrain
Private spaces are located on the lower floor levels

Living and dining areas are on the top floor, inside the wooden structure where large glass sliding doors let in natural light and allow for panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

“The house breaks with the construction paradigms of the area, where the usual thing is to place the public area on the ground floor and the private area on the upper level,” PPAA founding partner and creative director Pablo Pérez Palacios told Dezeen.

Open-plan kitchen with a timber roof structure and blue kitchen units
The top floor has a wooden structure

“Based on the topographic understanding of the land, as well as the analysis of the context, we decided to invert this arrangement of the programme, which allowed us to provide more privacy to the rooms and grant a panoramic view of that part of the city to the public area, which is turned into a lookout,” Palacios continued

“The house is like a mountain that you have to climb to finally appreciate and discover the view that the project gives you.”

The ground floor, which contains car parking, is finished in grey tones while the floor above where the bedrooms are is finished in warmer colours.

A skylight over the staircase illuminates the circulation space, which guides visitors to the public and social spaces on the top floor without having to move through the more private floor levels.

Terrace with large sliding glass doors leading to an open-plan living room with a white sofa and timber roof structure
Communal areas on the top floor have large glass sliding doors

“The project is a transition of atmospheres, you go from privacy to common, from darkness to light,” said the architect.

The ground floor and first floor are constructed from concrete block walls and according to the Palacios, excavation of the site was kept minimal.

Roof terrace with black dining table and chairs
The openness of the top floor stands in contrast with the lower floor levels surrounded by stone

“In terms of construction, this programme arrangement allowed us to make a minimal excavation on the site, while at the same time making the natural terrain part of the rooms and their natural landscape,” said Palacios.

“This also made the construction of the house more efficient, and in ecological terms, contributed to reducing CO2 emissions.”

PPAA, which stands for Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados, has completed a number of homes in Mexico, including a pair of houses with large glass doors opening onto patio spaces and a home clad in board-formed coloured concrete.

The photography is by Fernando Marroquin.

Reference

workshop architects fuses yucatecan + modernist elements in eclectic mexican home-studio
CategoriesArchitecture

workshop architects fuses yucatecan + modernist elements in mexican home-studio

workshop architects fuses yucatecan + modernist elements in eclectic mexican home-studio

workshop architects melds traditional + modern design

 

In a historic neighborhood in the Mexican city of Mérida, Workshop Architects’ ‘Studiolo’ is a traditional yet eclectic home-studio which fuses juxtaposing elements of Yucatecan colonial architecture and 20th-century Italian modernism. A celebration of vibrancy, risk-taking, and iconic design elements, the space serves as a residence and studio for Mexican artists David Serrano and Robert Willson, and perfectly encapsulates both their personal and professional personalities. The loft-style interior is characterized by a simplistic spatiality, enlivened by iconic furnishings and decor including an LC1 Le Corbusier armchair, and vibrant statement elements such as a bright orange bathroom ‘cubicle’ which doubles as a canvas.

workshop architects fuses yucatecan + modernist elements in eclectic mexican home-studio
all images courtesy of Workshop Architects

 

 

an eclectic home-studio in historic Mérida

 

The space is modeled after the traditional Italian ‘studiolo’ which during the Renaissance era served as a lavishly decorated palace chamber where owners could retire to read, study and write in privacy. Similarly, Workshop Architects’ ‘Studiolo’ provides its residing artist duo with a place to not only live, relax and socialize, but also to work on their pieces and meet with collectors, gallery owners, and colleagues. Beyond the minimalist, pristine white façade inspired by Italian architect Gio Ponti, the loft-style interior conjures a vibrant and idiosyncratic fusion of historical Yucatecan colonial elements with modernist aesthetics which reflect the duo’s practise with 20th-century pieces in their LA Gallery ‘Downtown’.

 

In a vibrant and eclectic display, the architects utilize traditional materials in contemporary ways. Along the floor, Yucatecan pasta tile rugs are reinterpreted and randomly ‘thrown’ as if they were fabric rugs, rather than precisely fitted into the space. Different shades of chukum coat the interior walls, their velvety textures and natural tones exuding a sense of dynamism and depth through the space. The windows are made with black ironwork and transparent glass alluding to functionalist architecture and connecting the interior spaces to the gardens, generating cross ventilation.

workshop architects fuses yucatecan + modernist elements in eclectic mexican home-studio
the loft-style interior is characterized by a simplistic spatiality

 

 

infusing iconic modernist design elements from the 20th-century

 

Workshop Architects enlivens the simplistic spatiality with bold sparks of color and iconic design elements. On the open plan ground floor living area, furnishings include a Jean Prouvé style table in the work area, an LC1 chair by Le Corbusier and a Verner Panton lamp in the living room, vintage pieces from the 1940s by Woodard in the dining room, and SMEG appliances and a lamp by Wilhelm Wagenfeld in the kitchen. Floating in space, an orange glass cube emerges as an unexpected element, doubling as a half bathroom and a canvas for drawing and experimenting.

 

In the monochromatic rear garden, a statement pink Roly Poly chair by Faye Toogood sits beside a black pool that recalls the architecture of Mies van der Rohe. A subtle yet sculptural staircase elegantly winds to unite the communal ground floor space with the private bedroom upstairs. The bed floats in the center of the space beside a Gio Ponti lamp, angled to overlook the patio and terrace. The space also includes a wet room, walk in closet and laundry room.

workshop architects fuses yucatecan + modernist elements in eclectic mexican home-studio
Yucatecan pasta tile rugs are reinterpreted and randomly ‘thrown’ as if they were fabric rugs

Reference