lattice skin encloses casa xcumpich's red volumes by taller mexicano de arquitectura

Casa Xcumpich merges local tradition with contemporary design

Located in the northern area of Mérida, Yucatán, Casa Xcumpich, designed by Taller Mexicano de Arquitectura, seeks to reinterpret its context through a contemporary style. Also known by the Mayan word Chac, due to the reddish color of its walls, the residence aims to integrate at the pedestrian level with the neighboring residential typologies. The project, like those traditional typologies, seeks to replicate the functional dynamics of a small village house, taking advantage of its orientation to capture natural ventilation and lighting. To achieve this, the team employs a lattice as one of the project’s key elements. It serves a dual purpose: it ventilates and provides indirect light, while also creating a connection to the park in front of the house without overexposing the residents’ privacy. The ground floor opens to the exterior from the common area in an open-plan layout, extending the views to the edge of the property. This design allows it to function as a large covered space, blurring the boundaries between indoors and outdoors.

all images by Manolo R. Solís

Taller Mexicano de Arquitectura combines craft and context

Enclosed areas within Casa Xcumpich house the service rooms and a private textile workshop for the owner. The family room is sunken, using the level difference to integrate built-in furniture. The design team at Taller Mexicano de Arquitectura applies the same strategy for the area beneath the staircase, creating additional storage space for the kitchen. The upper floor is a cubic volume that contains the private areas of the house. Natural light streaming through the skylights becomes the central feature, with shifting shadows moving along the smooth chukum walls throughout the day, until nightfall. Both levels of the house are defined by variations in texture and tone of the pigmented cement walls, while all other fixed elements, such as countertops, stairs, floors, and bathtubs, are made of natural gray concrete, creating a material contrast throughout the home.

a lattice facade filters light and air while preserving privacy from the street

open-plan layout blurs the line between indoor and outdoor living

the upper floor is a cubic volume housing private bedrooms and bathrooms

pigmented cement walls create tonal and textural variation inside and out

the living space extends to the property’s edge, embracing the landscape

the main staircase provides access to the second floor of the house, which contains all the bedrooms

soft shadows move across chukum walls as daylight shifts throughout the day

skylights bring natural light deep into the core of the home

project info:

name: Casa Xcumpich

architect: Taller Mexicano de Arquitectura | @tallermexicanodearquitectura

design team: Salvador Román, Carlos Rebolledo, Manuel Rodríguez, Felipe Díaz
location: Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico

area: 312 sqm

photographer: Manolo R. Solís | @manolorsolis_fotografia