Designed by Mexico City and New York City-based studio Revolution, Mazul Beachfront Villas are a collection of 50 residential tiny homes, designed to mimic and celebrate their coastline surroundings.
Focused on connecting with and respecting nature, the project exhibits the potential for a new kind of development, where both the environment and inhabitants are happy, without sacrificing creature comforts or a feeling of luxury.
Located just south of Puerto Escondido, a once sleepy surf town turned design destination thanks in part to the Tadao Ando-designed Casa Wabi arts foundation, Mazul further cements the region as a place for progressive, community-driven thinking.
Each 1,345 sq ft villa features a main cabin with a kitchen, living area, and bathroom, plus a sleeping cabin centered around an outdoor area with a terrace and private pool. Taking advantage of passive cooling techniques, the pool is positioned at the front of each property to chill breezes as they hit its surface then bounce into the cabins beyond, while large windows encourage cross ventilation and do much of the illumination work.
The project was under a tight budget but each villa needed to be resistant to storms and hurricanes in the area. Using local building techniques, and working with contractors from the neighboring Santa Elena El Tule community, each villa was constructed using a mixture of concrete and brick, then covered with a beautiful Earthy finish inspired by chicharrón, a type of stone native to the site.
Each villa is separated from the next by a mixture of vegetation and its own orientation—providing privacy but not blocking the view of its neighbor. A winding system of pathways connects the community, which also hosts a shared pool, terrace, restaurant, bar, beach club, and green spaces.
While exactly what’s next for the project is unclear (aka, can we stay there?), more information can be found at the Mazul Instragram. Either way, the beachfront community acts as one example of a more conscious and caring approach to medium-sized development, without sacrificing beautiful design.
Published 08-05-2021
