The project for the restoration of the century-old mansion house was led by architect Roger González, who made use of painstaking processes to enhance the original and most emblematic features of the structure, such as the high ceilings, cornices, Corinthian-style columns, richly ornamented capitals, ceiling moldings, and cement tile floors. The symmetry of the façade, with its three arches, was maintained, although only the central one functions as an entrance for guests and visitors. The ironwork and joinery of the doors and windows was also retained and restored to an impeccable finish that contrasts with the steel-blue tone that dominates the property’s exterior.
The refurbishment process made a virtue of traditional regional techniques such as chukum, a method for finishing stucco that was used in Mayan pyramids, granting it an appearance of rustic honesty thanks to the reddish hue of the Uxmal earth.
The layout of the central volume of the 1930s house was retained, welcoming guests into the lobby and bar. The adjacent space offers a boutique selling pieces by local artisans. In the coworking salon – called the Library – functionality is to the fore with an area that can change configuration according to the needs of travelers, whether for dinners or work meetings.
In the central courtyard, a wall was added which exhibits an evocative detail from the great journeys, with a mural from La Ermita de Santa Isabel—also known as the Church of Our Lady of Safe Travels—inspired by the sketch included in the book “Incidents of Travel in Central America”, published around the year 1840, in which John Stephens and Frederick Catherwood recount their explorations of the Yucatan Peninsula.
The staircase to one side of this mural leads to an expansive terrace with a pool and sky bar offering panoramic views of the historic center, Ermita park, and San Sebastián church.
In the rooms, the pale hues of the walls dominate, harmonizing with the rich patterns of the cement tile floors, the warmth of the tropical woods, the Ticul stone from the Opichén region, and the exotic touches of endemic tropical plants, including the chit palm.
On the other side of the courtyard is the kitchen and restaurant. Original features include the bell, while travertine marble tiles were added to the walls.
During the restoration process a traditional cistern was discovered, once used to collect rainwater. This underground space has been reimagined as a two-room wine cellar.
The encounter between past and present at Cigno is expressed in a corridor with a water channel and parota wood board that connects with the modern structure containing the restaurant extension, a second bar, the pool terrace and the building for the 10 rooms and suites, equipped with an elevator.
Team:
Architect: Architect Roger González, Steisy Echeverria (Mexsco studio)
Photography: Courtesy of Cigno Hotel Boutique
Material Used:
1. Facade cladding: Cement plus local mix of materials
2. Flooring: Cement tiles
3. Doors: Tropical Woods (Red Cedar)
4. Windows: Tropical woods (Red Cedar)
5. Roofing: Cement moldings finished with red ceder wood
6. Interior lighting: Indirect warm lighting with different materials considered like: canopy of Mexican black marble, clay bases and handmade linen fabric screens
7. Interior furniture: Adhoc design by Mexcostudio for Cigno
