Casa San Cristobal
The old house in the historic center of Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan, had a visible historic part, partially hidden by several ill-fitting additions. These were removed and replaced with a clear and contemporary addition that creates three lush courtyards for maximum natural light and cross breezes.
In contrast to the thick stone walls and tall openings in the historic house, the new addition is a concrete frame that is filled with glass, stone, or brick screen, depending on the program. In the back, behind a grove of palms, is a small pink guest house.
The existing historic house was renovated with a restored facade and new finishes typical of Merida!s historic architecture, such as rough plaster walls and colorful 'pasta' tile floors. The original house's steel beams and arched ceiling were restored.
The north face of the two-story addition is angled to face due north, minimizing solar heat gain. The house is split into three courtyards - a small traditional courtyard; a middle, native desert garden; and a rear jungle that gives privacy to a guest house.
Under the arch of the guest house is separate access to the pool via a floating chukum plaster pad. The guest house is capped by hand made cement breeze blocks that were cast on site. Throughout, the house's materiality and finishes are tough but tactile and reveal the execution of the work.
Besides the durable materials and large expanses of glass for natural light, roof-top solar panels send electricity back to the grid to reduce consumption and maintenance costs. The courtyard gardens ensure an almost constant breeze instead of relying solely on air conditioning to cool the home.
