Casa Maca

Located a few steps from one of the mostemblematic avenues of the city of Mérida, Casa Maca is a historic formerresidence from the Porfiriato era. Visitors are transported to the past, wherethey are easily captivated by the vitality of the structure’s colors andtextures. After removing any damaged finishingsduring restoration, the excellent quality of workmanship with which theoriginal walls were built is easy to appreciate. The original, freshly exposedstone masonry was preserved and framed by lightly colored moldings, as thoughthey are their own works of art. The historic ceilings located over thefirst corridor (where the living and TV rooms are located) are constructed withmetal beams and wooden joists and were restored in the same tones as themoldings, obtaining a neutral palette. This leaves the role of protagonist tothe colorful pasta tiles found on the floors and to the stone texture on thewalls. In the second corridor, both the firstbedroom and the dining room are found. Dining room visitors are welcomed by adouble-height ceiling, under which there was originally a mezzanine with a roomon the upper floor. It was decided to demolish these elements in the designprocess with the aim of maximizing spatial sensations. However, the doors andwindows that were a part of the original design were left, providing a tangiblewitness to the space’s origins. Dueto the fact that the wall where the doors and windows are located was tamperedwith numerous times and with various materials over the years, it wasimpossible to continue with the same exposed stone treatment that was used onthe original wall. Instead, chukum plaster was used to unify the wall, applyingthe same idea to an added upper wall, perpendicular to it and to the ceiling. A small covered terrace, ideal for sitting down to relax, connects us to the kitchen, which is a mid-century annex of the property. Practically the entirety of the original structure was preserved; one of the only exceptions to this is the latticework found on the upper part of the terrace. This was added as a reinterpretation of the balcony railing that was found on the second level bedroom, harmonizing perfectly with the Art Deco style found on the transoms above the original doors. The inner courtyard intentionally breakswith the neutral colors found in the historical part of the house. Thecourtyard’s intense Mexican pink ties the colors of the carpentry with thetropical vegetation that surrounds the space. The stone floor symbolicallylinks the interior with the exterior as it surrounds the chukum pool, creatingthe perfect environment to enjoy the warm Yucatecan climate. The new construction of Casa Maca is bestdescribed as modern yet pure thanks to the blending of contemporary andhistoric elements such as the pasta tile floors and replicating the design ofthe original doors. Another bedroom is located on the ground floor where itconnects to a private garden, the central patio and a covered terrace. On the second level, an iron andbamboo-covered terrace with views of the garden and pool precedes the thirdbedroom. The room’s antique, white pasta tiles will be familiar, as they werealso used in the second bedroom and to border the first corridor. The color onthe walls is taken from the tone found on the kitchen island tiles, offering alink to the various elements found throughout the space. Casa Maca allows us to travel back in timeto a place where we can enjoy the historical values of its architecture whilesimultaneously surprising us with the energy, livliness and joy of its colorsand textures. The structure makes the most of its spaces, which were designedspecifically for the enjoyment of those who visit it. PROJECT NAME:Casa Maca FIRM:Workshop, Diseño y Construcción contacto@workshop. com. mx TEAM:Francisco Bernés Aranda, FabiánGutiérrez Cetina, Isabel Bargas Cicero, Alejandro Bargas Cicero