TACO sets concrete 'casa del lago' house by a lake in merida, mexico

TACO taller de arquitectura contextual has completed casa del lago (lake house), a detached residence within a real estate development in merida, mexico, where all its lots adjoin a water body in their backyards. taking advantage of the characteristics of the complex, the project incorporates open spaces as part of the dynamics of daily use, with various outdoor areas, such as a pool, ponds, paved and green areas, and terraces bringing the residents closer to the lake and surrounding landscape.images by leo espinosa, drone photography by alejandro patrón

TACO taller de arquitectura contextual has built casa del lago for a multicultural couple of mature adults, with the capacity to store their collection of objects of artistic and/or emotional value. tucked away from the public road, the building features a pocket park on one of its sides, where an access threshold defined by an old restored door is located. the residence’s exterior landscape integrates pre-existing trees with endemic species and ornamental plants of the owners.

inside, the house comprises a double height social area (living and dining room), kitchen, guest bathroom, laundry area, roofed garage, and a master bedroom with terrace, walk-in closet and bathroom. the upper floor consists of a ‘tapanco’ (loft) connected to the social area, which functions as a guest bedroom, a bathroom, machine room, and three open terraces as growth reserves for commercial purposes. ‘the interior design was raised from the idea of working with the inhabitant’s personality and therefore facilitate their appropriation, so the spaces should serve as canvases for the various elements that would be introduced when moving in their home,’ explains TACO.

the construction method used is the most common in the area, based on concrete blocks, beams and slabs, while architectural finishes are apparent in order to reduce maintenance costs. the interior floors are made of concrete, as well as the pre-cast plates on site with which fixed furniture and vertical shades were assembled. all walls and low ceilings have a burnished waterproof cement-based stucco, while the floors of the terraces and exterior pavements are made of anti-skid rough concrete. windows were placed in such a way as to emphasize the connection between the interior and the exterior.