CASA ZAZIL – Cuauhtemoc, Colima by Di Frenna Architects

ByJon Dykstra Houses

CASA ZAZIL at Altozano, Cuauhtemoc, Colima by Di Frenna Architects.

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By: Di Frenna Architects
Year: 2021
Location: Altozano, Cuauhtemoc, Colima.
Area: 733.00 m2
Design and Construction: Di Frenna Architects
Work team: Arch. Matia Di Frenna Müller, Eng. Juan G. Guardado Ávila, Arch. Mariana de la Mora Padilla, Arch. Carlos Eduardo Carmona Lau.
Engineers: Eng. Hugo Saucedo Acosta
Photography: Lorraine Darquea

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The exterior is made of stone and concrete giving the house a rough structure. The landscape creates a cool atmosphere, creating balance.
The exterior is made of stone and concrete giving the house a rough structure. The landscape creates a cool atmosphere, creating balance.
The entrance is decorated with plants and stone slabs are used as walkways.
The entrance is decorated with plants and stone slabs are used as walkways.
The stone wall and the wooden ceiling at the entrance create a welcoming atmosphere to the house.
The stone wall and the wooden ceiling at the entrance create a welcoming atmosphere to the house.
The living room, located in the middle of the house has an opening that leads to the garden.
The living room, located in the middle of the house has an opening that leads to the garden.
The living room has exposed beams on the ceiling that blend well with the exposed concrete on the wall.
The living room has exposed beams on the ceiling that blend well with the exposed concrete on the wall.
The house has an open dining area that overlooks the landscape.
The house has an open dining area that overlooks the landscape.
The kitchen features a kitchen island with a granite countertop overlooking the garden.
The kitchen features a kitchen island with a granite countertop overlooking the garden.
The wooden beams in the ceiling and the lighting creates a rustic atmosphere in the kitchen.
The wooden beams in the ceiling and the lighting creates a rustic atmosphere in the kitchen.
The bathroom with ceramic tile walls blends perfectly with the wooden drawer.
The bathroom with ceramic tile walls blends perfectly with the wooden drawer.
The rough texture of the stone wall and the lighting create a welcoming atmosphere in the house.
The rough texture of the stone wall and the lighting create a welcoming atmosphere in the house.
The garden in front of the living room gives the house a cool atmosphere.
The garden in front of the living room gives the house a cool atmosphere.
This view features the bedroom on the second floor and the dining area.
This view features the bedroom on the second floor and the dining area.
In front of the kitchen is a swimming pool for relaxation.
In front of the kitchen is a swimming pool for relaxation.

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View of the swimming pool and the house with lighting.
View of the swimming pool and the house with lighting.
A stone walkway from the kitchen to the dining room is landscaped with plants.
A stone walkway from the kitchen to the dining room is landscaped with plants.

Wandering around Casa Zazil evokes a variety of feelings and senses. Wind rambles through the site’s vegetation becoming the main source of exquisite sounds, the textures in all of the materials, the roughness of the stone, and wood gifting with a diversity of shades and smells; Walking through the house from the entrance continually arouses in users the curiosity to discover what will be experienced in the next space.

The project rises from a “C” shaped floor plan as a gesture of shelter for those who inhabit it; it protects from the known climate and sunlight in Colima, while it also seeks for privacy and contains the architectural program in an orderly manner, showing an intimate context that opens up and contradicts this same principle in its rear façade.

The relevance between the different spaces takes place thanks to the variety of built heights, which warn when an area wants to be more welcoming and personal or when the intention is contrary and of a more social nature. This is how the tour of the house begins, a double-height hall welcomes users framing a shorter and closer plane giving the opportunity to discover the following rooms one by one.

The program is divided into two accentuated volumes and floors, where the zoning became clear and precise. The social spaces are sheltered on the first level and are gratified by the view of the golf course together with the extension of the surrounding vegetation that seems to subtly integrate into the gaps that it finds as it disperses. This is how a gigantic Papelillo tree integrates perfectly into the residence and stands out while blending in with the rest of the plants.

The upper level houses the rooms, warmth is notorious on this floor, the carpentry elements feel fundamental and the pauses that are insinuated through windows, are a delight of natural lighting that concede the magnificent views of a variety of treetops and the horizon.

Under the same premise of opposing certain values, the materiality of the construction iwas playful, giving rise to a dialogue that is unified behind a balance between lightness and heaviness. Large stone volumes meet ceilings that seem to lean on them in the most delicate way, made up of wooden beams and steel structures, referring to architecture distinguished by warmth, adapting to a more contemporary version.

The transcendence of the stone does not stop at the robustness that integrates the extraordinary volumes, it also represents craftsmanship in the design. The Colima volcano itself made possible the richness in textures of the project, this material is original and worked by the same local artisans, giving the inhabitants a feeling of constant freshness.

​​The complete integration of the project permeates in all the details, the dignity of the materials, in their pure and natural state in which they age and always intermingle with the context; this was the idea that was also brought into interior design. In collaboration with MUMO, the selection of pieces and finishes pursues an exploration for the locals , collaborating with Mexican artists and designers. This way the last fragments of the puzzle also remain discreet, silent and integrated, allowing those who enjoy this house to always be the ones who give color and life to it.

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Jon Dykstra
Jon Dykstra

Jon practiced law before launching his online publishing career, bringing analytical rigor to everything he builds. Home Stratosphere combines that precision with a lifelong obsession with residential design — architecture, interiors, landscape, and furniture.

His current focus is AI-driven design analysis, using artificial intelligence to study patterns in color, layout, and material choice across thousands of homes. His Personality Type Home Design Guide applies personality frameworks to interior aesthetics, helping readers design spaces that reflect how they actually think and live.

His favorite piece on the site is the 25 Most Popular Designs, is a daily-updated ranking of the top designs over the last 30 days, driven entirely by visitor activity. The feedback is invaluable for understanding what resonates most with readers. LinkedIn

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