In the desert outside Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, an architectural marvel awaits. Mexico City-based Studio Font, led by Raquel Font, has revolutionized the concept of boutique hotels, incorporating rustic architecture by transforming it into a scatter of architectural wonders across an expansive 8,000-square-meter canvas of cacti and open sky. This innovative approach lets each piece of Nereidas Homes breathe like intentional ruins under the vast desert sky.
Fragmented harmony in design amidst nature
The layout of the Nereidas Homes embraces fragmentation, distributing its elements across the site as individualized modules rather than clustering them under one roof. Each guest room holds a private vista of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains and the distant Pacific Ocean, embodying a dialogue between containment and openness with communal areas that draw the pieces into a cohesive whole.
Integrated living spaces
The trio of guest rooms, each uniquely oriented across the landscape, merges sleeping, resting, and bathing into a seamless, wall-free space. Curved interiors open onto three thoughtfully framed windows, each offering a distinct view of the surrounding desert. Essentials like beds and seating are crafted into the fabric of the concrete, and a rooftop stairway offers an elevated connection to the sky and horizon.
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Shared spaces in synergy
Two crossing roofs define the shared spaces, wrapping around a dramatic double-height fire pit and a cascading cylindrical pool. The structure remains open along its length, offering unobstructed views of the desert. Overlapping planes create deep shade, while subtle floor height changes guide one’s movement, enhancing the space’s fluidity without needing walls, embodying design principles true to rustic themes.
The enduring materiality of pigmented concrete
Studio Font has chosen pigmented concrete for both structure and finish in the construction of Nereidas, a choice that results in rose-hued walls that shift in color with the light throughout the day. This pink tone becomes even more vibrant after rain, contrasting beautifully with the green desert vegetation, further enhancing the rustic style.
Sustainable design serving the desert
Off-grid living is central to Nereidas’ design. Solar panels power the property, while a thermosolar system delivers hot water, and water reuse minimizes local resource demands. Plants displaced during construction were methodically replanted, allowing the desert ecosystem to thrive around the new structures.
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A broader trend of ecological design principles
This careful ecological approach isn’t isolated to Nereidas. In Tulum, V Taller’s Babel project similarly returns nearly 40% of its space back to the jungle, integrating land conservation directly into its design ethos. This same principle guides the scattered arrangement of Nereidas’ rooms in the desert landscape.
Elsewhere in Baja California, similar hospitality projects echo this ethos. In San José del Cabo, RA!’s Laiva Hotel San Jose boasts a warm, monolithic design, prioritizing its engagement with the immediate environment—an instinct reflected in Studio Font’s creativity and style at Nereidas.
Studio Font envisions Nereidas as a contemporary ruin—a structural masterpiece that stands as a testament to human habitation while permitting the desert’s influence. This fragmented, yet harmoniously integrated design aligns with the natural rhythms of climate and time, ensuring that the design and the legacy of Nereidas Homes endures long after its creators have left.
Source: urdesignmag.com
Frequently asked questions
What is the architectural style of Nereidas Homes?
Nereidas Homes features rustic architecture, with elements distributed across an 8,000-square-meter canvas, creating a scatter of architectural wonders that appear as intentional ruins in the desert outside Todos Santos.
How does Studio Font integrate design with the desert environment?
Studio Font uses pigmented concrete for structure and finish, creating rose-hued walls that shift with the light. They also integrate sustainable design with off-grid solutions, such as solar panels, and replant displaced vegetation to allow the desert ecosystem to thrive around the structures.
How are the guest rooms in Nereidas Homes designed?
The guest rooms are individualized modules with private views of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. They merge sleeping, resting, and bathing into a seamless, wall-free space with essentials like beds and seating crafted into the concrete fabric.