The Casa Macahuite was designed as a grouping composed of five levels, four of which are vertical walls and a fifth consisting of a suspended pergola. This arrangement was intentionally positioned in direct contact with the natural scenery, encompassing both the ocean and the mountainous elevation.
The structural layout of the house creates transition areas between internal and external spaces. These intermediate areas are fundamental to ensuring air circulation, providing adequate shading, and maintaining an uninterrupted visual connection with the surrounding environment.
In this project, the local climate and geographical location act as central and defining elements of the entire architectural concept, shaping the experience of those who use the space.
The Nereidas Homes architectural project is situated in the arid landscape of Baja California, near Todos Santos. This development occupies an area of six hundred square meters, distinguished by the presence of sculptural cacti and expansive views encompassing both the Sierra de la Laguna and the Pacific Ocean.
The design of the house is based on the idea of being fragmented into several architectural pieces. This arrangement aims to ensure privacy for each living unit while establishing an intentional and specific visual connection with the natural surroundings. This approach distributes domestic life across the entire terrain, avoiding the creation of a single closed block.
The structure is organized through private rooms and a shared common area, seeking a balance between the feeling of enclosure and openness within the lot. Individual spaces are designed to focus on carefully framed views, while collective areas extend longitudinally, utilizing the vastness of the landscape for shared use.
There are three private units spread across the terrain. Each one functions as a continuous space, where activities such as sleeping, resting, and bathing occur without internal divisions. The curved internal walls open up to three distinct windows, each framing a different section of the landscape and creating varied atmospheres within the same environment. Essential furniture, such as beds, seating, wardrobes, and bathrooms, is integrated into the architectural shell, ensuring that each function maintains its own visual focus, even while being in a unified spatial volume. Access to the roof enhances this vertical experience, strengthening the direct link between the private space, the sky, and the horizon.
The main shared area is defined by two intersecting roofs. This space houses an outdoor fireplace with a double height and a circular cascading pool, offering various settings for socializing, dining, and relaxation. Being completely open, this structure maintains a constant visual and spatial alignment with the desert. The overlapping planes create deep shadows, and the changes in height guide movement without relying on traditional partitions.
The entire building was constructed using pigmented concrete, which serves as both a structural element and a cladding. The rosy tone applied to the material lends warmth to the building, allowing it to reflect changes in luminosity throughout the day and accentuating the contrast with the surrounding vegetation, especially after rain when the landscape takes on a greener hue. Environmental systems were incorporated into the design, making the house completely autonomous (off-grid). Energy is supplied by photovoltaic solar panels, and a thermal solar heater provides hot water. Furthermore, water reuse systems reduce pressure on local resources, and all flora removed during construction was replanted on site, preserving the existing desert ecosystem.
Nereidas Homes presents a way of living in the desert that considers architecture as a built condition intended for permanence. In this sense, the residence approaches the notion of a contemporary ruin: a durable structure that supports life while allowing the climate, time, and landscape to act upon it.
The Casa Elementar project was presented by the design team. This house reinterprets the classic image of a country cottage, transforming it into a modern dwelling where architectural solutions are shaped by daily rituals, a creative approach, and a deep connection with nature.
The architectural bureau YUMI Architekci developed this residence, located in a quiet, wooded area near Warsaw. The plot, surrounded by mature vegetation and a garden, allowed for the creation of a sanctuary from urban hustle while maintaining comfort for year-round living.
