Casa Terra in Tulum

About

Located in the Aldea Zamá residential development in the city of Tulum, in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, Casa Terra incorporates the memory of the land as a design principle, understood as a reference to the cultural, climatic, and spatial conditions of the site. Based on this, the house is organized in a way that prioritizes connection with the outdoors, natural ventilation, and the intake of natural light throughout the day. From outside, the 276-square-meter house presents a restrained, understated facade. Access from the side is through a short sequence that serves as a transition before revealing the interior. This entrance controls views and creates an initial sense of privacy. The overall layout is based on a system of parallel walls that structure the entire dwelling, delimiting the spaces and organizing circulation. Inside, there are no conventional hallways. The connections between spaces are direct and resolved through brief transitions that guide the flow of movement. The walls channel movement through narrower passageways that emphasize verticality and allow for controlled entry of natural light.