Casa del Lago, a detached house in a real estate development in Merida, has all the angles. It was recently featured in a prominent architecture site.
As its name suggests, the house has the rare distinction (for Merida) of being built along a lake — actually a manmade canal that is part of a golf course community.
Built for a “multicultural mature adult couple,” the TACO taller de arquitectura contextual (Contextual Architecture Workshop) infuses dashes of Yucatecan culture with modern lines.
The building’s sharp angles are shaped with respect to surrounding roads, generating a pocket park on one side. A threshold there is defined by a restored antique, very Yucatecan door. On the other side are the pool, ponds, paved areas, and plantings.
The ground floor has a double-height common area, kitchen, guest bathroom, laundry area, covered garage and a master bedroom with terrace, dressing closet and bathroom. The upper floor consists of a loft and three open terraces.
Architectural finishes were chosen to minimize maintenance costs. The interior floors are made of rough concrete, as are the pre-cast fittings. All walls and low ceilings have a stucco based on burnished waterproof cement, something like chukum. The floors of the terraces and exterior pavements are made of anti-skid hammered concrete. The windows were placed in such a way that they emphasize the connection between inside and outside.
The landscape project integrates pre-existing trees with endemic species and ornamental plants brought in by the owners. The interior design reflects the personality of the owners, said the architects.
