located in villa de santiago, a colonial town 37 km from the city of monterrey in mexico, the ‘miraloma pavilion’ by S-AR is complete with an enigmatic black pool. the outdoors construction is placed in a terrain with views to the nearby mountains and comprises two main pieces: one platform made of red brick that frames the pool; and a metallic structure topped with a dry reed straw roof. three box-shaped volumes organize the space under the roof, each clad in a different material to offer optic and haptic richness.
all images by ana cecilia garza villarreal
S-AR’s ‘miraloma pavilion’ is located on the outskirts of villa de santiago, a town that receives a large number of visitors weekly, who come to enjoy the different natural scenarios held in this part of the sierra madre oriental. the area’s rivers, waterfalls and forests offer the perfect place to practice canyoning, climbing and trekking, and as such many weekend residences and cottages can be found there. the outdoors project is s placed in one of the ends of a spacious garden, and serves as a space for gathering and entertaining.
the red brick platform serves as the pavilion’s base, unifying the enigmatic black pool with the main structure. metallic elements form a roof clad in dry reed straw on the inside and glass on the outside, providing both shade and protection. three volumes organize the space under the roof, each with a different material: a volume made of concrete for the bar and grill, a metallic one for the extraction hood and chimney and the last one made of concrete block holding the storage and bathroom.
the pavilion is placed in front of a stairway of railroad ties that retain the different levels of the garden area, making the most of this condition and generating more sitting area for gathering. ‘in spite of its simple geometry, the elements forming this space bring a great optic and haptic richness through its textures, modulation and its contrasting yet complementing colors,’ says the mexico-based architecture studio. ‘the remembrance of the elemental materiality of each piece and its own unit form a whole. in the same way, the pavilion holds a strong dialog with the surrounding elements: mountains, garden, wind and light.’
project info:
name: miraloma pavilion
architect: S-AR
location: santiago, nuevo leon, mexico
architect in charge: cesar guerrero, ana cecilia garza
collaborator: carlos morales
client: private
construction area: 63.5 sqm
project year: 2017
construction year: 2020
