With their grid-like structure spanning across three storeys, these Oaxaca apartments are defined by their open social areas. The building, titled Casa Eva, is divided into three residential units, one per level, made of concrete, wood and steel, balancing a range of hard and soft materiality. Nestled on a sloping plot in the surf town of Puerto Escondido on Mexico's west coast, the apartment building, designed by Mexican architecture firm S-AR, establishes a definitive relationship with its context of mountains, tree canopies and the sea in the distance.
Tour these grid-like Oaxaca apartments
‘For us, the site is a large part of the project,’ explains studio founders, César Guerrero and Ana Cecilia Garza. ‘In this case, the coastal climate, the existing lush vegetation and the topography of the land were the initial conditions that informed the project. Then, the idea was to create a seemingly compact piece of architecture, but one that would actually be a system where the structure defines open spaces, which would then be "inhabited" by volumes that, in turn, define dimensions, circulation, and public and private areas. It's like a game of filling a spatial grid.’
The transparency of this grid leaves the homes open to their surroundings, with few walls limiting space and views on the outer layer of the structure. This creates a seamless transition between interior and exterior, ultimately achieving a sense of boundlessness for its generous residential spaces.
The foundation and framework behind this thinking is rooted in a system of cast-in-place reinforced concrete columns, beams and slabs. To create divisions between spaces, the firm used railings and translucent lattice 'wooden boxes' that provide privacy for the bedrooms. It is this relationship between open and enclosed areas, forms and geometric features that helps carve discrete spaces – and it was one of the team's main aims.
‘It allows us to consider that architecture can be other things and provokes people to think. That is to say, although there are hundreds of buildings with similar programs and palapa roofs in the region, we believe that this one is simply not like the others, but rather something that can spark new dialogues and interpretations both of the architectural object itself and of its potential relationship with the environment.'
Each apartment spans 180 square metres and includes two bedrooms, service areas, and social spaces, each complemented by a private plunge pool for cooling off. Geometric elements are scattered throughout the design, providing visual accents and appearing on stairs, pools, kitchens and storage spaces.
For the architects, the most important element of the design was to create freedom and connection with the environment. They conclude: ‘Each apartment relates differently to its immediate natural surroundings, and although each offers a unique experience, the common thread is freedom and connection. Next, we expect attention to detail and the textures of the materials. These are simple yet refined and sophisticated elements, enhanced by light and shadow, by time.’
