MÉRIDA, MEXICO
Casa Maca is an old residence from the historic Porfiriato era. It is located a short distance from an illustrative boulevard of Mérida city, and its captivating and vibrant textures and colors transport visitors to good old times.
After restoring the damaged finishing, the exquisite workmanship and quality of the structure are worth appreciating. The original stone masonry was conserved and framed using mild-colored moldings. The original ceilings of the first corridor, which loom over the living area and television rooms, were constructed using wood joists and metal beams. They were restored similar to the moldings using neutral tones and beautifully contrast the floor’s vibrant pasta tiles and the wall’s stone texture.
The second corridor has a double-heightened ceiling and features the dining room and the first bedroom. The original mezzanine had a room on the first floor, which was demolished to maximize and enhance spatial sensations. At the same time, the windows and doors were retained as a tangible reminder of the historic architecture. Due to repeated wear and tear, the original walls and an additional upper perpendicular to the ceiling wall were unified using chukum plaster.
A second bedroom on the ground floor connects to a central patio, a private garden, and a covered terrace. The latter leads from the second corridor to a mid-century annex which serves as the kitchen. This entire structure was preserved, except for a latticework added to the upper end of the terrace serving as a new and modern take on the balcony railing of the second-floor bedroom.
The inside courtyard is purposely different from the neutral palette in the rest of the historical house, featuring intense Mexican pink ties surrounded by tropical vegetation. However, the stone floor metaphorically joins the exterior to the interior and is surrounded by a chukum pool to make most of the warm Yucatecan climate.
On the whole, the innovative and modern construction of Casa Maca can be attributed to a combination of historical and contemporary aspects, such as its historic doors and pasta tile floors, respectively.
Architects: Workshop, Diseño y Construcción
Area : 260 m²
Year : 2021
Photographs: Manolo R Solis, Tamara Uribe
