GARQUITEG: Outlaw House is a single-family vacation home located in Zicatela, Oaxaca, Mexico. This town is part of the conurbation of Puerto Escondido, one of the areas with the highest tourist boom and growth in the country due to its picturesque beaches - bordered by gigantic rock formations that create a unique landscape - its pleasant warm climate, and its sunsets.
Zicatela is located to the south of Puerto Escondido. The town is notable for its vernacular architecture, its active social lifestyle, and the extensive beach with large waves, an important attraction for surfers from around the world, making it one of the three most important destinations globally. Its urban configuration is characterized by residential areas and small-scale hotel developments.
The main strength of the project is its location, as it is situated in an area where nature and tranquility are the main features. Casa Outlaw is located in a private development of single-family residences. The chosen plot for its construction directly borders a protected ecological community, providing a barrier of privacy and tranquility, enveloping it in an atmosphere distinct from the rest of the subdivision. The disconnection from the rest of the paved access roads created a unique entry through a dirt road that forces users to pass through a densely vegetated section of the community. In this sense, the project generates a dialogue with its immediate context while separating from the rest of the development. The house emerges from the dense flora of the ecological community.
The project originated from the clients' desire to have a secondary residence for rest and retreat at the beach. The challenge was to achieve this sense of tranquility and relaxation amidst the growing urbanization due to all the constructions, restaurants, bars, hotels, and hostels in Zicatela. Both clients, of American origin, have a lifestyle marked by ecotourism and a desire for adventure. The formal inspiration was influenced by the couple's stories and travels around the world, particularly to tropical areas such as Bali and Nicaragua. Therefore, the house adopts references from both contexts to merge them with architectural elements of the Mexican coast, creating a connecting thread through the clients' experiences and their desire to foster a place of calm.
The connection between the interior and exterior spaces plays a fundamental role in the project. The openness achieved through long glazed parota wood doors creates a continuous dialogue between the two and privileged views of the reserve on the upper levels. The exterior wall is configured by lattices that create a connection with nature without losing privacy. The distribution of the ground floor provides a sense of continuity and free circulation.
The architectural program is defined by a main rectangular volume and a terrace with a pool. The former is located at the back of the plot and is divided in two by a large slate wall; this houses all the private spaces and the only public space inside, distributed over three levels.
On the ground floor, the terrace, located in front of the main volume, is configured by a long portico located on the perimeter and a central pool. In this covered area, there is a kitchen, living room, and dining room made of parota wood. The pool, composed of discreet levels, is surrounded by loungers that feature fabrics woven by local artisans. This space serves as an entrance and reception for users, in addition to being the nucleus and heart of the house. On this level within the main volume, one of the secondary bedrooms is on one side and the interior public space on the other. The latter houses a poured kitchen, living room, and dining room that prioritize connection with the outside, highlighted by its proximity to the pool and directly connecting to the main room.
On the first level, the second secondary bedroom and the main bedroom are divided by the large slate stone wall that connects to the lower level. The main bedroom is the most intimate and private space of the entire project; it is accessed only by a spiral staircase that connects directly to the kitchen and living room on the ground floor. The secondary room located on the upper floor communicates independently through a staircase on the side of the main volume.
Finally, on the rooftop, there is a large hammock that simulates a large lighthouse with uninterrupted views to the east and west; as a reflection of the extreme sports performed by the couple, this area is accessed by a boat-type staircase located on the side balcony of the main bedroom.
The interiors and decoration were exclusively handled by the project's clients. The spaces exhibit unique personalities that reflect an eclectic style constituted from the combination of their memories, places, and experiences with local elements. All interact with each other and with their context through the tropical architectural style, materials, furniture, art, and finishes. Parota and aquil, both certified woods obtained locally, play a leading role throughout the house; from the entrance door - made of reclaimed wood over 80 years old - to the bedroom shutters.
Due to the tones, they present, a warm color palette is generated that complements the palm in the palapas, the coconut bone, and the large white slate stone wall, which contrasts with the cool tones of the dark slate on the ground floor terrace. Mexican furniture was acquired in San Miguel de Allende and Oaxaca in local artisan shops with traditional manufacturing processes. The kitchen mosaics were designed by Oaxacan plastic artist Francisco Toledo. The art on the main bedroom wall, as well as the paintings in the rooms, were made by local artist Nicolás Guzmán.
The project includes significant passive bioclimatic strategies. The palapas are an element of vernacular architecture that serves to cushion the thermal sensation of the internal spaces. The proximity and use of the shade from the ecological reserve along with the openness of the spaces to the outside allow the coastal wind to uniformly cool the house, reducing the use of air conditioning.
