Mirlo by Palma in Sayulita, Mexico

ByJon Dykstra Houses

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Location: Sayulita, Nayarit, México
Team: Palma (Ilse Cárdenas, Regina de Hoyos, Diego Escamilla, Juan Luis Rivera), Gerardo Galicia, Adrián Rámirez.
Photography: Natalia García
Contractor: César Robles Landscape: PAAR Lighting: Reverbero Kitchen manufacturer: Taller Nacional

Palma is an architecture office based in Mexico City and Sayulita. It was founded by Ilse Cárdenas, Regina De Hoyos, Diego Escamilla and Juan Luis Rivera, all of whom studied at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 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 and typologies across Mexico.
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 look at the main entrance of the house with a miniature garden in the middle that also has a water feature to it.
This is a close look at the miniature garden and the hanging plants from the open ceiling above the garden.
This view showcases more of the plants above the open ceiling and a view of the kitchen and dining area on the far side.
This is a look at the large wall that can be retracted to open the interiors to the garden fountain feature of the main entrance.
This is a closer view of the great room that houses the kitchen, dining and living room areas under a tall ceiling.
This is a closer look at the rectangular dining table and the living room area on the far side by the wide windows.
The living room area's wide windows bring in natural lighting for the built-in L-shaped sofa with cushions.
The large L-shaped sofa follows the lay of the wall and is paired with a wooden coffee table.
This is a look at the tall ceiling above the miniature garden with a water fountain with plants on the sides.
This is then topped with a large skylight adorned with beams of bamboo.
This is a close look at the slat wooden windows above the walls for ventilation.
These slat wooden windows are complemented by the glass windows below with sliding panels.
This is an illustration of the house depicting the structure renovated before and after the renovation.
This is an illustration of the floor plan before and after the renovation of the house.

Before:

For this home renovation in Sayulita, two main actions were executed. In the center of the house, where the original kitchen was located, part of the roof was removed to create an interior patio that serves as an entrance hall and distribution between the private and public areas. When removing the cover, it was decided to preserve the original wooden structure that supported the concrete slab as a witness to the intervention that happened.

The second action consisted of incorporating a new volume that adheres to the existing construction to accommodate the public area. A masonry base on which the window framing is positioned, the new element allows a constant visual relationship with the outside, taking advantage of the privileged views towards the sea and the beach.

The roof of the new volume is a palapa, a characteristic type of construction of the coastal areas of Mexico, based on a wooden structure covered with palm leaves. The public area manages to expand the space by opening on one side towards the interior patio of the house and towards a terrace that intensifies the relationship with the outside on the opposite side.

From the moment you enter the house, the vegetation is always present. In the central patio, an elevated planter houses a variety of hanging plants that fall towards the stone fountain. The transition space between the existing and the new construction is diluted through the landscape project. Finally, in the patios of the bedrooms, the use of plants allows privacy between the views to which the different bathrooms in the house open.

In addition to the two main factions, a rearrangement and distribution of the bedrooms and bathrooms were carried out to take advantage of the space.

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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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