Casa Mikelín emerged from the transformation of a family vacation home whose original layout was inward-looking, with fragmented spaces and a poorly defined layout. More than just an expansion, the project proposes a new way of living in the house, completely reversing its relationship with the surroundings to turn it into an open, light-filled retreat designed for togetherness.

The renovation addresses the need to add an extra bedroom and bathroom, but sees this requirement as an opportunity to rethink the home from the ground up. The project reorganizes the architectural layout based on a clear distinction between public and private areas, prioritizing spatial continuity and outdoor living.

A new, taller volume houses the social areas and becomes the heart of the home. The kitchen, dining room, and living room are integrated into a single, spacious area—naturally lit and ventilated—that opens completely onto the terrace, the pool, the outdoor dining area, and the outdoor kitchen. The architecture blurs the boundary between interior and exterior, allowing daily life to flow naturally between both spaces and enabling Mérida’s exceptional climate to become an active component of the spatial experience.

In contrast, the original areas house the bedrooms, whose reorganization lends them a more intimate character. Each one opens directly onto private courtyards that promote natural light, cross-ventilation, and privacy, creating small spaces for contemplation that enrich the experience.

The choice of materials reinforces the project’s serene and timeless character. The main façade is defined by a delicate balance between wooden slats and slender metalwork that filters views and light, discreetly revealing the interior. The use of polished concrete on interior and exterior walls revives a traditional craft technique from the Yucatán Peninsula, providing a warm texture and an efficient response to the tropical climate thanks to its durability, low maintenance, and thermal performance.

Far from imposing a new architectural style on the existing structure, Casa Mikelín builds a continuity between past and present. The renovation makes the most of what already exists, redefines its potential, and transforms a closed-off home into a space open to light, the landscape, and communal living. The result is a restrained, contemporary architecture that finds its greatest strength in the simplicity of its materials, the clarity of its layout, and its close relationship with the outdoors: offering a place where leisure time is experienced with a sense of spaciousness, calm, and connection to the surroundings.