Reforma 507

Lorena Darquea

• Architects

Created by dividing a family property into two sections, the resulting house has a narrow frontage of 3.95 meters and a standard depth of 32.15 meters. Located in ‘Colonia Reforma’ neighborhood in Mérida, Yucatán—an area on the edge of the historic center—the property which be renovated already had 184 m² of floor space distributed over two stories, with most of the construction on the ground floor and a single room on the upper level.
A sequence of spaces formed by small rooms next to one another created a sense of overcrowding, disorder, and to a certain extent, chaos.

photo_credit Lorena Darquea — Lorena Darquea

The task: to renovate and expand the property to transform it into an Airbnb, increasing the number of rooms, simplifying the social areas, and providing new spaces for socializing and enjoyment.
On the ground floor, the walls in between some areas were demolished to create a single open social space (dining room-kitchen). It was also decided to remove the slab which was covering a small area behind the kitchen that served as a study area. The reason was to create a triple-height atrium that would bring light into the center of the home and connect the new elements on the upper levels.

In response to the need for vertical expansion, the new spaces are set back 10 meters, staggering the building’s construction achieving to hide it from the street view. This approach preserves the scale of the neighboring buildings, creating a pedestrian-friendly environment and providing a buffer against everyday noise. The façade is understated and to a certain extent, enigmatic.
The project required the addition of two more stories, which rest atop the single social space on the ground floor. Since the load-bearing capacity of the existing slab was in question, the decision was to remove it.
Taking advantage of this situation, the height of the space was raised by 60 cm and segmental arches were installed as a mezzanine, giving a more spacious feeling and reinterpreting the local architecture of the late 19th century through a modern design language.

The masonry wall serving as a backdrop on the ground floor is the result of removing the existing finish, revealing the richness that existed on the property, hidden beneath several layers of paint.
A glass corner was created in the ground-floor room, connecting the interior with the exterior and providing a sense of spaciousness and freshness, emphasized by the connection to the surrounding vegetation and the small body of water at the back of the lot.

The new bedroom on the first level opens onto a terrace facing the street, the neighboring vegetation, and a gigantic natural sculpture, a dry tree that refuses to die, adding contrast and drama to the scene; hammocks have been placed there to enjoy this view. On the top level, as a lookout, there is a covered terrace, a social space that takes advantage of the views and overlooks the surrounding landscape, primarily composed of lush vegetation.

The color palette is very simple: monochromatic with a few pops of color. Beige predominates, appearing in the marble floors, walls, and tiles, whether in its natural Chukum shade or painted. Green is another color used. It reflects the exteriors, the controlled views, and nature; details in Pasta mosaic or walls painted in this Pantone
shade can be seen throughout the project.

Additional Credits

Architecture office: R79 + Desnivel
Website: https://www.r79.mx // https://www.desnivel.mx
Chief Architects: Roberto Ramírez Pizarro // Ariel Canto Novelo
Project Coordinator: Laideen Diaz Diaz
Creative Team: Arq. Amairani Canto, Arq. Ramón Rivero
Construction: Versal / Mónica Pérez Martínez
Interior Design: Artesano / Arq. Daniela Alvarez, Arq. Jaime Peniche