BAAQ' arranges four wood + concrete volumes into 'casa naila' house in oaxaca, mexico

mexican architecture studio BAAQ’ has completed ‘casa naila’, a house located on a 740 m² property in puertecito, a small coastal community in oaxaca, mexico. the project comprises a complex of four wood and concrete volumes in different heights and topped with sloping roofs that allude to the rocky and rugged topography of the surrounding beach. built using local materials and traditional techniques, the house’s entire design pays tribute to oaxaca in all its aspects.

all images by edmund sumner, courtesy of BAAQ’

‘casa naila’ by BAAQ’ is located on a rocky site with two fronts toward the sea, 20 km from puerto escondido, a small port in oaxaca. its architecture is defined by two main axes, which formulate a cross-shaped, open-air patio. the four volumes are arranged on each corner of the patio, each housing different functions of the residence.

the project is designed with the aim of integrating the architecture into its surrounding environment as the climate allows for most daily activities to be carried outside. as such, the architectural program is developed both indoors and outdoors, where the core of the house is made up of common living areas, connected with private areas through the central courtyard and pool. each of the four volumes has a different orientation to allow for optimal air circulation and lighting conditions while ensuring that every inhabitant enjoys a view of the sea.

the house is set on a reinforced concrete base, a material that also extends to certain parts of the four volumes’ ground levels to direct and frame views toward the exterior landscape. the rest of the project is built using palm tree wood, a predominant material in the area that is also used in traditional construction systems of vernacular houses of the oaxaca coast. one of the fundamental spaces of the project is the kitchen area, which houses a clay stove called ‘lorena’, an element commonly found in rural houses of oaxaca.

ground level plantop level plan