Located in Telchac Pueto, a town in Mexico’s state of Yucatán, this 894-square-meter mixed-use building rises four levels. The first two will harbor a restaurant, and the upper two, apartments. The facade has a staggered shape on all four sides, evoking a pyramid or ziggurat, which blends the building into the area more harmoniously. Colonnades modulate the transparency of all the levels, visually lightening the mass. In addition, the construction is complemented by wooden boxes that extend toward the beach, making the complex gradually dissolve into the surroundings.

The ground floor, similar in character to a hypostyle hall, is enclosed and accommodates living spaces through curving apsidal walls, some of which are positioned to protect the private areas. The service and residential entrances are situated at the ends, while the restaurant is entered through the central part of the building.

The tectonic language of the wooden columns is replicated in the concrete supports, which have grooves on their surfaces. The recessing of certain windows and circulation elements is done for solar-orientation reasons. The permeable mass induces cross ventilation and maximizes views toward the beach.

The two stories of each dwelling are inserted into the top ‘step’ of the staggered building, making the building look like it has three floors instead of four. A large balcony surrounds the lower levels of the homes.

As for materials, local resources are used, such as the zapote wood that is common in coastal construction in the region, and pigmented chukum, reinforcing the building’s connection to its natural context.