francisco pardo steps 'villas escondida' into a coastal site in mexico

on a clifftop site overlooking the bay of puerto escondido in mexico, francisco pardo arquitecto has completed a new residential complex. located just 50 meters from the pacific ocean, ‘villas escondida’ steps down into the oaxacan coast, offering inhabitants panoramic views of the bay’s wild and endless beaches.

image © onnis luque

rather than disrupt the landscape, the 16 new homes are built into the natural contours of the site. surrounded by lush vegetation, the complex is articulated by a sequence of stepped patios, which enable 180° views and plenty of natural light and ventilation in each unit. ‘this housing arrangement naturally adapts to the existing topography. the villas seek to generate a harmonic symbiosis between architecture, the pacific ocean and the inhabitants, enhanced by extraordinary panoramic views of the surroundings’, asserts francisco pardo, founder of the studio.

image © onnis luque

each of the 16 residences span 1615 ft2 (150 m2) plus the terrace, measuring 753 ft2 (70 m2) on the lower level. the apartments comprise two or three bedrooms, an open-plan living and dining room, and a private terrace – which frames the idyllic scenery and the sea-horizon, while guaranteeing maximum privacy through the extensive plants strategically placed around its perimeters. each residence has a small private swimming pool, and three types of common areas feature on the uppermost rooftops: to the east (the highest), a bar and rest area; in the center, the main swimming pool with a sundeck; and to the west, a smaller pool for children.

image © onnis luque

the apartments are accessed via a system of pathways and two gardens that replicate the natural slope of the terrain and stretch down to the sea. the ocean breeze, in synergy with the shade provided by cantilevered roofs and the cross ventilation generated by the terrace and the lateral walls, provides passive cooling options. inside, the units offer a comfortable place to relax and take refuge from the sun. natural-toned wood wraps the exquisitely tailored-made interiors, adding visual warmth and reinforcing the connection to the natural context.

villas escondida are entirely built with a simple structure of reinforced concrete, block walls, cement, sand and ribbed slabs. this system has permitted flexible construction and a solid structure, resistant to the characteristic earthquakes that affect the area. the main finishing details of the external façades and the interiors are made with chukun, flattened with fine sand cement and the suggestive local ‘macuil’ wood. sloping down toward the beach to catch the ocean’s breeze, this project is intended to integrate into the site blanketed with vegetation, emphasizing the architecture’s connection to its natural setting.

francisco pardo steps 'villas escondida' into the coastal landscape of mexico

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