Casa del Aljibe

Mérida's Historic Center is filled with beautiful colonial houses, with traditional high ceilings and ancient splendor. Today, many of these houses are deteriorated by time and lack of maintenance.

Casa del Aljibe had suffered the ravages of weather and time, and its trees were hidden in years of free growing weed.

The project consisted in conserving the original structure of the house, eliminating additions and returning its lost glory.

The first space has the original metal beamed high ceiling. These tall ceilings were originally built to promote the natural cooling of the house. We decided to make one large living room crowned with a star chandelier.

We wanted to make a house of coexistence, in which every corner invites you to stay for a while.
Outside the kitchen, an informal living space is created, as everything in this house was designed for a carefree life, in the center of a city that vibrates and grows, and where a fresh and beautiful oasis is very appreciated.

The materials we chose were polished white cement floors and traditional pasta floor accents designed especially for the Aljibe House, which contribute to make it fresh and stylish, with a rustic contemporary look. The color palette goes from green to blue with neutral grays.

We kept all the trees in the backyard: an avocado, a soursop (guanabana) tree, a zapote and an oak. The trees help to cool the air before it enters the house which makes the house cool and breezy, something helpful during hot days. The plunge pool with hammock hangers invites to spend the afternoon enjoying the breeze under the shade of the trees. Besides the pool there's a good sized storage/laundry room. The adjoining wall's height was increased using the traditional masonry technique of Yucatan.

The master bedroom in the back hugs the zapote tree while providing views to the patio and pool area. The bathroom has a glass ceiling to shower under natural light.

In this project our main concern was temperature control and respect for the site while achieving a Mexican Contemporary look. The result was a house that is cool even in hot days and that doesn't deny its past and embraces the times coming.