Manuel Aguilar Arquitecto: Casa Ajal was born from a desire to preserve existing elements aiming to retain essence of the peninsula´s architecture and pay homage to its unique materiality. The house embraces you within its stone walls, inviting exploration as if it were an ephemeral space.
The project began by exploring a site surrounded by ancient vegetation and the remnants of a small Yucatecan- style house. This unique context inspired the design of a home that respects and enhances the history and essence of the place. The existing stone perimeter wall was preserved as a symbolic and formal element connecting the past with the present. The integration of the original structure and the vegetation dictated the project´s main axes, ensuring a harmonious connection with its natural surroundings.
Casa Ajal seeks a balance between being a restful retreat and architectural work that celebrates the essence of Caribbean Mexican architecture located in Bacalar, México. This 530 m² house integrates harmoniously wit is natural environment preserving existing elements and highlighting the uniqueness of its materiality.
The materiality is a tribute to the region´s rich construction traditions locally extracted and worked stone forms the main structure providing robustness and texture that harmonizes with the environment. These walls create a sense of shelter, offering a cool and welcoming atmosphere inside.
The ground floor houses common areas a spacious dinning room a central kitchen and a living room that opens to the garden. The connection between interior and exterior is crucial, allowing vegetation and natural light to permeate indoor spaces. The garden serves as a green sanctuary preserving the site´s original vegetation, creating a refreshing microclimate. The pool in the garden acts as a reflective water feature, becoming the focal point of the upper floor features a vaulted ceiling, adding character while optimizing ventilation and natural light.
The rooftop provides an additional space to enjoy panoramic views of Bacalar, making it an ideal spot to contemplate the starry sky and appreciate the tranquility of nature. Casa Ajal exemplifies ow architecture can extend into ta landscape using local material and preserving vegetation to create a habitable space that honors both nature and Caribbean culture.
