Imagine a brutalist Mexican villa accessible only by a quaint bridge over a turquoise lagoon, across from a beach which is home to nesting turtles and small hatchlings. Who could ask for a better neighbour? Welcome to Casa Macahuite, a new house nestled in an isolated territory and named after the protected turtle beach.
Tour Casa Macahuite, a tropical brutalist Mexican villa
Located in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, the residence designed by Studio Font sounds like a whimsical abode, one equipped for ocean lovers. However, the environment is harsh. The ocean is rough, the climate is hot, and the area is susceptible to earthquakes, hurricanes, and daily storms during the rainy season. This informed the material and site of the project.
‘The landscape was a central reference from the beginning,’ says Raquel Font, founder of the architecture studio. 'The project is located between the ocean and the mountains, and the intention was to ensure that every space maintains a direct relationship with both, allowing it to be experienced continuously.’
The 300 sq m home is positioned alongside a ring of existing vegetation, which makes a natural courtyard. With its expansive views, Font made sure the residence remained open in all directions. In this context, the architecture works more as a framework than an enclosure.
Composed of five main planes – four vertical walls, and a floating pergola– the residence allows for shade, natural ventilation and unobstructed views. Font notes that the central pergola is probably the most significant element in the project. It spans fourteen metres without intermediate supports and connects the two main volumes, becoming both the entrance and the main living space.
She says: ‘It is where the structural logic of the house is most evident: it provides shade, frames views, and allows air to circulate freely. By relying on the foundations of the walls to support the span, the solution is condensed into a single gesture, reducing the building’s footprint while integrating structure, climate and daily use.’
The fully off-grid home is a softer example of Mexican brutalism. Its solid grey concrete walls are warmed through the use of wood and textiles. Furniture in parota wood, and Phenolic wall finishes provide an unexpected gentleness to the space. Accessorised with hanging plants and an abundance of native vegetation, the building fuses with its context.
Font concludes: ’The intention was to create a sense of being both isolated and protected – a place where you feel privileged by the views, but also comfortable enough to inhabit throughout the day. Rather than a conventional interior, the project proposes a more open spatial experience, where visitors become aware of shade, wind and time as part of the space, allowing inhabitation to remain continuously connected to the outdoors.’