Architectural Portfolio

A development's architecture is a decisive factor in creating an identity for a project. My answer was an eclectic architecture combining the arches, stone and brick barrel vaults of the Mexican haciendas; and the window-walls, poured concrete and slick clean lines of the international style. This combination would offer passive cooling systems through the thermal mass and barrel vaults of the hacienda architecture and the deep awnings of the modern architecture. Its incorporation of the window wall would take advantage of the views. The use of natural materials would incorporate the buildings into the landscape.

This pairing could create a "Mexican" yet original identity for the development referencing the Case Study Houses of California (where a large part of the tourism in the Los Cabos area comes from) and the fusion of that culture with the Mexican fantasy they come looking for. In short, it will be a strong, elegant, and sober frame for the luxurious and customized lifestyle of the development.

To represent this concept I developed the design for a model home. The swimming pool interrupts the interior with a lap lane, while the barrel vaulted ceiling is continuous throughout. I made the main living area deep to keep it away from direct sunlight and placed windows at the base of the vaulted ceiling to provide indirect illumination.