The studio based in the Oaxaca Valley is transforming contemporary architecture with principles that balance sustainable building, meticulous restoration, and the advocacy of traditional construction techniques.
Architecture as an intellectual process for understanding nature, enabling the design of ethical and sustainable spaces: this is the key pillar that underpins the work of RootStudio.
The architectural laboratory founded in 2009 by João Boto Cæiro and Fulvio Capurso has stayed close to its original purpose of exercising creative ideas to experiment and develop new perspectives, based on the understanding of the context and the fusion of technology with vernacular construction methods.
This means that each space it has been commissioned to build involves the application of bioconstruction principles that include the use of endemic materials suited to local conditions. This sustainable guideline is key to reducing environmental impact. In addition, RootStudio reinterprets historical spaces, preserving their originality through meticulous restoration that avails of the skills and knowledge of master stonemasons, carpenters, and metalworkers.
In the vision of the studio, experimentation is a fundamental aspect of its way of working. For this reason it is established as a firm where knowledge and techniques are extended to the design teams and those in charge of the works in order tofoster commitment, a collaborative spirit, and a sense of collectivity.
In line with the above, the sense of community is deeply rooted as a way of reaching out to the population through workshops and other activities, in which knowledge and skills are shared and can be harnessed for individual development.
Meanwhile, for RootStudio an architectural project represents an opportunity to present a visual manifesto. For this reason it is constantly seeking special collaborations with painters, photographers, illustrators, sculptors, landscape artists, carpenters, and textile artisans, who make their own mark on the works and spaces created together.
Notable among RootStudio’s projects are Girl Move Academy, in Mozambique, nominated twice by Arch Daily, in thecategories “Building of the Year” and “Educational Architecture”, Hotel Sin Nombre, Flavia Luxury Hotel, Casa Mulata, the Bachillerato de San Agustín Etla school, the José F. Gómez and Gabriel López Chiñas libraries, the Centro Gastronómico in Oaxaca and the Rancho Cebú distillery in Tlacolula de Matamoros, all of which are located in Oaxaca State.
Entering a work by RootStudio means finding oneself in a dynamic, emotional atmosphere, where the pared-back simplicity is the result of a deep reflection on the mission of contemporary architecture.
Flavia Luxury Hotel, A sculptural project in Oaxaca, Mexico by RootStudio
About
Based in Oaxaca City and directed by João Boto Cæiro, RootStudio was founded in 2009 as a multidisciplinary studio that encompasses architecture, design, illustration, painting, and sculpture.
Over more than a decade of work, RootStudio has forged a unique signature that distinguishes it for its striking projects in Mexico and other latitudes. Its portfolio showcases its versatility when it comes to the most varied types of projects, suchas residential buildings, productive and educational centers, sites for leisure and hospitality, whose common denominator lies in their harmonious integration with the landscape and a total commitment to social responsibility.
Entering a work by RootStudio means finding oneself in a dynamic, emotional atmosphere, where the pared-back simplicity is the result of a deep reflection on the mission of contemporary architecture.
