Project by: Palma (Ilse Cáredenas, Regina de Hoyos, Diego Escamilla and Juan Luis Rivera) Location: Litibu, Nayarit, Mexico
Surface Area: 50m2
Contractor: César Robles
Photography: all images by Luis Young except the one specified from María Rivera
Budget: $38,000.00 usd

Palma is a young architecture office based in Mexico City and Sayulita It was founded by Ilse Cárdenas (FONCA Young Creators Grant Program 2020), Regina De Hoyos, Diego Escamilla (FONCA Young Creators Grant Program 2019). and Juan Luis Rivera, all of whom studied at the UNAM School of Architecture.

The practice is geared towards finding integrated and individual solutions to each architectural problem. Their approach is based on a detailed analysis of the immediate context and a design process that is open to experimentation and exploration. The result is a constant search towards an architecture of atmospheres that move people and truly belong.

Some projects which stand out are Community Center in San Pedro Apatlaco, first prize in an open-call competition, the exhibition design for “MXCD01-Presente” at Archivo’s Diseño y Arquitectura. “AROS” pavilion/playground for kids in the historic center of Mexico City, the result of the “Juguetes Urbanos” competition. Currently, they are developing projects of different scales across Mexico.
Palma was shortlisted in the LIGA competition as well as the Arquine Pavilion competition.

They were selected as one of the five finalists to submit a proposal for the “Feria Internacional de las Culturas Amigas”, a yearly international fair held in Mexico City’s, “Zócalo”, the country’s most important public square. In 2019 they were longlisted for the Royal Academy Dorfman Award given by the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Also in 2019, they were shortlisted in the Folly/Function competition “KIOSK” organized by the Architectural League of New York.

Their work has been published in national and international media. They have been invited to give different lectures and workshops across the Mexican territory. Palma recently participated in the Architecture Forum “Afuera” celebrated in Beijing, China.

This is a view of the front of the house with decorative rocks and walls that open up to the landscape.

This is an exterior view of the bedroom with a row of folding doors that open the interior to the exterior.

This is the exterior of the house with the folding doors closed and exterior lights on.

This is exterior view of the section of the house looking into the bedroom with concrete walls, wooden doors and cacti on the side.

The concrete floor of the bedroom extends to the exterior and serve as a step to transition to the soil of the landscape.

The side of the folding doors is adorned with a variety of cacti in pots.

This is a full view of the section of the house showcasing the large concrete structure and open folding doors.

This is a look at the other bedroom that has a large concrete platform structure for the bed cushion and is topped with a floating shelf.

This is the open area in the middle of the two structures with a small zen garden topped with a round skylight.

This area is perfect for yoga with an abundance of natural lighting.

This is a close look at the round skylight of the yoga area.

This is a close look at the concrete wall that pairs well with the wooden door of the bedroom.

This is another look at the architectural concrete structure above the open area in the middle of the house.

This is a close look at the concrete wall with a round hole that serves as a ventilation window.

This is a close look at the round hole at the upper portion of the concrete wall to serve as ventilation.

This is a close look at the vanity of the bathroom with a built-in concrete sink topped with a wall-mounted mirror.

This is a look at the concrete counters and structure of the kitchen by the large open wall with foldable doors.

This is a look at the built-in concrete platform bench with cushions and a shelf above.

This is a close look at the shower area with a tall ceiling and a rainfall shower above.

This is a close look at the bedroom that has a white bed cushion that stands out against the concrete structures.

This view showcases the large doors that open on two walls to maximize the natural lighting of the room.

This is a close look at the concrete exterior wall and the wooden frame of the window that stands out.

This is a look at the house's elevation that shows the concrete exterior walls and palm roof.

The 50m2 bungalow is located in Litibu, a small town on the coast of the Mexican Pacific. The bedroom and living space are separated in two volumes to create an open patio in between. The climate was the main driver of the design, high palapa ceilings cover the main spaces, which in turn can open fully towards the outside. Pigmented stucco was used rather than paint to avoid humidity build-up in the walls. Built in concrete interior elements such as the kitchen counter, shelves or lintels are shown on the facade as a playful break to the symmetry of the project.