Refugio Bajo Las Hojas is a project located in the historic center of the City of Campeche, a city considered a World Heritage Site for its architecture and history. The Refugio is located in one of the most important historical residential neighborhoods of the city, the Guadalupe neighborhood. On a 5-meter front lot where a family home was transformed into a bed and breakfast to receive local and foreign guests and visitors.

The design premises were to generate versatile coexistence spaces and create an identity for the project through its materiality. The chosen material palette is characteristic of the area and has been used throughout history in the region. Chukúm as a base material for finishes; wood, non-fixed, dividing, and functional elements; Palma, as accessories and complements. In the whole, through its tonality, warmth, and texture, each material fulfills its own function, unifying the spaces.

The distribution of the project was determined by the format of the lot and the regulations of the Historic Center that sought to rescue the original circulation of the house. The complex is made up of 3 volumes separated by intermediate open social spaces. The order of these volumes follows a traditional sequence of a residence.

The first volume has the function of receiving and, in turn, being the hospitality and main service space for the complex. From the street, preserving the corridor of what was the original residence, there is the first encounter with the materials that are part of the entire project. The chukúm base, floor, and fixed elements are delimited by wood, accentuated by different palm fabrics (lamps, rugs, cushions), and complemented by existing vegetation.

Integrated into the first volume is the terrace, a versatile space to concentrate the most important social activities of the project. Here the relationship with the outside and the vegetation is much stronger; from the floor to the furniture, it was proposed as a scheme that offers the possibility of different arrangements for multiple functions; either eating, drinking, working, dancing, or a combination of all, the space adapts comfortably to any activity.

By concentrating the coexistence activities in the aforementioned areas, the room becomes a space focused on rest. The space is cozy, comfortable, and has everything one may need to enjoy the stay. This set of rooms is located in the second volume spread over two floors and aligned along the main circulation, providing greater privacy.

The last volume, separated by a green area that contains a pre-existing tree where the view of the main circulation corridor ends, contains the operational services area.

Together, this sequence of volumes seeks to make the user experience very organic and complete as a refuge within the city.

Collaborators: Punto.arq, Taller Ruíz López, Mujeres del Barro Rojo, Corazón Artesano.

Photography: Fabián Martínez.