Livraria da Vila Artes was conceived from a specific architectural gesture within an initially compact space. With only 40m², the project arose from an analysis of how architecture can highlight the importance of books and function as a moment of pause in the routine of a shopping mall, transforming into a deceleration point where the lived experience surpasses constant movement.
Even with the need for rapid execution, the conceptual depth was not diminished; on the contrary, this led to more objective decisions, where each component follows a logic of essentiality. The great challenge was to create a place that valued the collection—composed of art, fashion, architecture, and gastronomy books—treating them as items that go beyond use, entering the domain of desire and memory.
On the exterior, a beige volume marks the boundary and provides a discreet interruption in the busy setting of the shopping mall. Inside, a completely blue cube envelops the visitor, inviting them to a new perception of the environment. The choice of this tone was inspired by the work of Yves Klein, whose exploration of blue as a sensory, spiritual, and perceptual field guided the conception of the space.
The blue does not merely serve as a background but as an active presence: an uninterrupted field that absorbs light, softens boundaries, and stimulates contemplation. Thus, the floor, walls, shelves, and ceiling eliminate visual hierarchies, directing focus to the books. The chromatic uniformity establishes an almost abstract and immersive atmosphere, while the diffused light, introduced by a tensioned skylight in the center, increases the sense of depth and enriches the stay in the location. This feature visually unifies the technical structures and redefines the dimension of the space.
This project is based on an architectural concept developed over nearly ten years of collaboration between Livraria da Vila and ARCHITECTS OFFICE—a continuous reasoning that is now being applied in 18 units. The final result diverges from the conventional bookstore model, leaning more towards a gallery, an environment where curation and architecture unite to highlight each edition as a unique item. Although small in size, it is precise in its intention, affirming an architecture capable of enhancing what is displayed.
One of the owners of Casa Sombras explains that inspiration comes from the heavens, resides there, and descends into the workshop, taking shape. This poetic metaphor reflects the organization of the residential house, which transforms a slope over 15 meters high into a sequence of places for contemplation, relaxation, and creativity.
Located in Cerro del Vigia, on one of the highest hills of Zihuatanejo, the house overlooks the bay and the Pacific Ocean. The project was conceived as a permanent residence for a creative couple who, after visiting various cities in Mexico, chose Zihuatanejo to establish their permanent home.
The house program included three bedrooms, an art studio, reading and audiovisual leisure areas, as well as an extensive common area organized around the kitchen. The owners aimed for architecture with clean lines and restrained composition, viewing the building as an author's work where every element served a specific purpose.
The steep gradient of the terrain, with a difference of more than 15 meters between the access road and the lower street, defined the structure of the project. The solution was to distribute functional zones across three levels so that the house was not perceived as a massive structure of that height. From the street, the facade is predominantly solid, ensuring privacy and presenting a single-level composition. The upper volume seems to rest upon the rest of the structure, like an object placed on a pedestal, while most of the living space slopes down toward the landscape.
Passing through the closed facade, the space suddenly opens up to the bay. The living room, dining room, and kitchen form a continuous environment that extends to the terrace and infinity pool, making the transition between interior, exterior, and horizon almost imperceptible.
From this level, a staircase leads to the upper volume, which houses the master bedroom, library, and TV lounge; another staircase descends to the guest bedrooms and art studio. The house is understood as a body with a mind and heart: relaxation and contemplation are concentrated above, and creativity below.
The name Casa Sombras does not come from dark shades, but from the need to find shelter from the intense climate of Zihuatanejo. Setbacks between volumes, deep recesses, covered passages, and perimeter flowerbeds create shade, filter solar radiation, and protect privacy without disrupting the connection to the landscape.
Materiality enhances the restrained character of the project through a palette of white, gray, black, and natural tones. Cladding made of paving stones retains its original color without pigment addition and combines with gray marble, clay brick, parota wood, and local aggregates. River pebbles, individually placed at the bottom of the pool, continue this connection with the environment. Considering the seismic activity of the region, the construction utilizes reinforced load-bearing walls and concrete structural elements.
Casa Sombras strives not to dominate the environment. Its height respects neighboring views, its massing follows the slope, and its palette allows vegetation, the bay, and light to be the true protagonists. After moving in, the house found its meaning in the daily experience of its owners: 'We feel like we belong here.'
In an era characterized by housing instability, social fragmentation, and ecological urgency, the book 'Collective Living and the Architectural Imaginary' analyzes how architects have rethought and can continue to rethink ways of cohabiting.
Tracing the history of collective housing projects—from early 20th-century experiments to contemporary proposals that challenge dominant market paradigms—the publication presents sixty projects from around the world. These projects have been reworked by the authors and structured into ten different approaches to residential design.
By uniting the past and the future, built forms and experimental sketches, the work prompts readers to view housing not merely as shelter, but as a critical foundation for rethinking domestic life, civic identity, and urban existence.
This volume invites architects, urban planners, and researchers to embrace collective living as a key platform for designing the modern city and re-examining the conditions of shared habitation.
