Casa Gabriela
TACO
Taller De Arquitectura Contextual
TACO is a workshop, established in Merida, Mexico since 2011 where young architects, designers, civil engineers and many more specialists all come together, to create projects where architectural, interior and furniture design, landscape and urban have all been combined cohesively as one unity in design.
" Our projects are based on context analysis, ranging from the tangible factors such as nature and the built environment, among others; to intangible factors, such as culture, history, building budget and users characteristics. "
Casa Gabriela
Nuevo Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
Firm TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual
Type Residential › Private House
STATUS Built YEAR 2015
SIZE 0 sqft - 1000 sqft
TACO’s goal behind the residential project “Casa Gabriela” was to create a feeling of retreat, a place where there are a serene environment and security. Their aim was as well to create an eco-friendly home where it’s energy efficient as well as keeping it at low cost when it came to construction and maintenance.
Tucked away from the street, among it’s neighbours the property created as a design element where a ‘plazoleta’ - a small square which is a traditional feature of Yucatecan architecture have been added publicly with a seating area in front of the home, serving as a public area socializing as well as a highlight showing the entrance to the building.
The building with organic elements is added been perceived from all the interior social areas acts as a repellent to mosquitos, as well as oxygenates. Several apertures have been closed by mosquito nets, which also allows constant natural ventilation to the area. Double heights with zenith openings evacuate the hot air, creating an internal temperature controlled space (natural air conditioning) as a replacement for artificial means.
Concrete is the building's most common element has also been used thoroughly. The material has been implemented as concrete block walls, concrete beams and block flooring which is as well shown underneath roofs found in double void areas while the low roofs are thermally isolated with polystyrene panels.
The use of concrete lattices protects the inside of the house from rain, hurricanes, insolation as well as vandalism. Architectural finishes are a must, and achieved with grinder concrete floors, fixed furniture made of on-site precast plates and assembled and waterproof cement based stucco as for walls and low ceilings. This allows durability and low maintenance for the user.
"The processes are crucial in our discourse. That is the reason why we internally execute all the items of a crafted construction, and as far as possible, we try to find the essence of the problems to suggest creative solutions for lower costs in each category."
As part of the design elements, a splash of vibrant colours have been added to the warmth of the house.
Added through furniture, accessories such as pillows, and found in the threshold of the front and back access of the building. these were chosen from a variety of elements within the local culture, especially in crafts, and inspired from the different colours and shades found in gardens.
TACO have succeeded with creating environmentally friendly Projects such as
Casa Gabriela. Beautifully implemented and designed Casa Gabriela have become in such a way a sanctuary within nature, creating serenity and harmony, yet beautiful design elements that have architecturally kept the richness of the culture in the southern Mexican city of Merida.
Photography by Leo Espinosa
