Pools

A vast terrace overlooks a nearby park, while the ground floor patio (connected to Vanbesien’s office) opens up to a garden.

“Typically people don't have pools on a small city lot like this, so we really had to work with what we had,” says Monika. The couple’s child, Sullivan, peaks through the pool’s window.

The courtyard brings natural light into the lower level of the home, which has a den/media room, guest suite/workout area, and storage and mechanical.

To most eyes, Ezequiel Farca’s 1970s-style concrete home in Mexico City looked like a teardown. Even the lot itself—shallow and crammed against a steep hillside—wasn’t particularly alluring. But Farca saw through all the restraints to create a spa-like refuge in one of the world’s most energetic cities. "It’s is such a hectic place. You’re bombarded by so much information the moment you step into the streets," says Farca, who first gained prominence as a furniture and interior designer. "So we envisioned this house as a retreat, a kind of a temple." The rooftop courtyard is lined with a verdant mix of indigenous plants, including banana trees, palm trees, lion’s claw, Mexican breadfruit, and native vines. The chaise longues were designed for Farca’s EF Collection.

A plunge pool on the roof of the small building.

The narrow, elongated pool with a vertical green wall can be seen from inside the apartment.

The four panels of aquamarine and green look like a work of art.

The courtyard in the center of the compound opens with a lovely lap pool.

Imagine waking up in a room with a stunning view, eating your breakfast on a terrace, walking to a secluded beach for a short dip in the ocean, then drinking wine near a private pool while watching the sunset. That is exactly what Casa Tiny offers to its guests, who can now rent it through Boutique Homes. The cozy house is located on the Oaxaca Coast in Mexico near Casa Wabi, an artists’ retreat founded by Mexican artist Bosco Sodi.

Hitting the right combination of real estate ingredients; view, space, light, and pool, the house fit perfectly in the Casa plan.

A pool and outdoor lounge area that's shaded by trees.

Pratt outdoor table, Pratt outdoor benches

landscape, pool

A stairway leads up to a roof deck, inspired by the historic sleeping porches in the area that take advantage of the cold nights to cool off in the desert.

Covered deck, sunken fire pit, and pool

A 10 foot deep cantilevered roof provides consistent shade pool side in the courtyard

The home's modern exterior features glass, wood, and concrete.