Project Name
Chiripa
Location
Sayulita
Mexico
Architecture Practice
Palma
Completed
2022
Detailed Information
Project NameChiripaLocation
Sayulita
Mexico
Architecture PracticePalma
Completed2022

Nestled amongst palm and almond trees on a hillside in Sayulita, a laidback beach town popular with surfers on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, this ambitious yet unassuming mixed-use residential project by Mexico City-based architectural practice PALMA was conceived as a house-hotel hybrid that can be configured in accordance with the guests’ composition and requirements. Six units spread over two interconnected four-storey volumes can be combined in various configurations, from a single residence for a large family or group of friends, to two separate apartments, to six independent guest rooms sharing common sitting and dining areas. Designed with privacy, natural light and views in mind, PALMA took full advantage of the building’s tropical setting, complementing the flexible configuration with seamless indoor-outdoor living.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

The building consists of a pair of slim towers facing each other like two opposing thumbs amid a lush garden. Great care has been given to ensure privacy and unobstructed views for all six units by slighting offsetting the two volumes and orienting the openings of each one in opposite directions. Taking advantage of the property’s steep incline, only two floors are visible from the street level, with two additional levels below, thereby reducing the building’s visual impact.

A raised walkway leads visitors from the street-level entrance at the top of the property to the main level where the communal areas are located. An open staircase housed on the semi-cylindrical end of one of the two towers, in conjunction with a series of bridges, leads to the guest units on the upper and lower levels and two roof terraces complete with plunge pools from which to enjoy the panoramic views of the ocean. Views can also be enjoyed from the guest units, all of which feature spacious terraces.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

A minimalist aesthetic defines both the building’s exterior and interior. Rendered in an off-white stucco, the building’s two geometric volumes are imbued with a sculptural sensibility as well as serve as a backdrop for playful shadows cast by the rich vegetation. Arched doorways, round windows and lattice wall sections enrich the architecture’s geometric design language as do the visible concrete slabs which form subtle horizontal stripes that reduce the tower’s height. Painted in a vibrant turquoise hue, doors, window frames and balustrades add to the project’s playfulness without detracting from the verdant surroundings. Likewise in the interiors, turquoise accents jazz up a muted palette of off-white and earthy hues with natural wood and stone surfaces echoing the natural landscape looming through the wide openings.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

Photography by Luis Young.

A House-Hotel Hybrid on Mexico's Pacific Coast Embraces Indoor/Outdoor Living

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