Brutalism, Sustainability, and Maya Architecture. How did Ludwig Godfro manage to combine all this in the design of a boutique hotel?
Privacy and openness, modernity and tradition, the calm geometry of a man-made object next to a raging ocean. The architectural concept of the Casa TO boutique hotel designed by Ludwig Godfro is based on many contrasts. The two-story building is located on the Pacific coast of Mexico, and many of the architect's decisions were dictated by the warm local climate. How did Le Corbusier and Mayan temple architecture influence the project? Why are there indoor gardens not only in the public areas of Casa TO, but also in many of the rooms? And besides the water recycling system, what does the environmental policy of a boutique hotel include? Read the answers to these questions below.
The two-story Casa TO boutique hotel is located on the coast near the Mexican city of Puerto Escondido, which usually attracts surfers in the fall. The point is that at this time of the year the waves of the Pacific Ocean here can reach a height of a kilometer. The architect who designed Casa TO, Ludwig Godfroy, deliberately contrasted the form of these giant waves with a small building with simple geometry that resembles a secluded cave. "The aesthetics of Casa TO is characterized by simplicity, a combination of tradition and modernity. This effect is achieved through the harmonious use of simple elements: steel, concrete, clay and wood,” explains Godfroy. But behind the outward simplicity are many cultural references.
The focal point of the two-story building is the indoor swimming pool, which evokes Le Corbusier's characteristic style of vaulted volumes and lines, exposed load-bearing walls, light structures and open interiors. The pool is cut through the transverse walls with large round holes, allowing for privacy areas within the common open space. The walls of Casa TO are made of raw concrete and recall the brutality of Louis Kahn. But the terraced layout of the nearby solarium is a reference to Mayan temple architecture, which is of great importance in the area.
The harshness of the raw cement is softened by the abundance of vegetation surrounding the building, as well as internal gardens in some rooms and public areas. One of the most important functions of these gardens, as well as the outdoor pool, is the natural cooling of the building. They are watered by a water recycling system that allows the boutique hotel's waste water to be treated and used for this purpose.
In addition to the water recycling system, Casa TO uses solar panels, and the hotel's environmental policy is based on the principle of "zero plastic". guests are provided with glass bottles filled with filtered drinking water.
The total living area of the two-story building is 600 square meters. There are six deluxe rooms on the first floor with interior gardens and three rooms on the second floor with bathrooms on outdoor balconies.
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BUILDING NAME: Casa TO AUTHOR: Ludwig Godfroy YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION: 2022 Location: Puerto Escondido, Mexico |