Casa Kuun: A Space for Connection
Casa Kuun is a residential beach property in Oaxaca, which provides another expression of the tropical brutalism architecture of Puerto Escondido. While the natural elements, such as water, presented a design challenge, the team was able to create an open space that blurs the line between inside and outside, integrates the environment, and invites connection.
BELO Design recently completed Casa Kuun in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca. To celebrate, we’re sharing a mini case study on this residential architecture project: the goals, design challenges, and results. PS: This is the second article in a 3-part series (learn more about Puerto Escondido here and stay tuned for the final installment).
The Backstory: Casa Kuun was born from a creative desire to build a space for gathering.
The project started long before the lot was even purchased. The two owners of Casa Kuun knew they wanted to collaborate with us to build their beach home and rental property. What began as dreaming over many glasses of good wine soon evolved into a joint effort to create something special together.
“We were just as excited by the prospect of building along the Oaxacan coast as we were by the idea of giving Carlos complete creative freedom – within a budget, of course. The opportunity to see what he could create has been even more fun and rewarding than we imagined.”
The Goal: one property, two houses, and a sense of connection.
Casa Kuun is located in Palmasola, just minutes from Puerto Escondido International Airport. The owners envisioned building two houses in one unified design. Their goal was to create a space to accommodate family and friends comfortably, with austere yet elegant architecture. They wanted their homes to be a place where people can come together, relax by the beach, enjoy the shade, gather around the pool, share a meal together, lose track of time, and seamlessly transition from inside to outside. It wasn’t about building a generic house and putting it on the beach; we were striving for the houses to be in communion with their environment to create an experience and encourage a slower pace of life.
The Inspiration: the surrounding environment.
A lot of inspiration came from visiting Puerto Escondido. The tropical brutalism architecture of Puerto uses simple ingredients – concrete, wood, shade, vegetation, air, water – in a powerful way. BELO Design is interested in honest materials like concrete and wood, materials that communicate “what you see is what you get.” There can be unique beauty in austerity.
The landscape was also a source of inspiration. The surroundings are impressive – intense, as we described in our last piece. We brought those principles into the design, incorporating shade, natural ventilation, strength, comfort and durability. The organization of the house came from that thinking. The private spaces are located on the ground, nestled and protected by the building and landscape. The upper levels are more social and open; there you’ll find the kitchen, dining area, terrace, and pool. It reverses the expectations of a conventional house but creates a stronger connection with the ocean views and environment.
The Challenge: also the surrounding environment, specifically water.
The Puerto Escondido environment can present technical and structural challenges in the architecture design process. There is a lot of sun, rain, humidity, salt, strong winds, and seismic activity, plus the water table is very high. The challenging choices were not what you might think (aesthetic design decisions) but rather about the foundation, grading, drainage, and water proofing of the building. For example, water that is collected in the drain when it rains needs to flow out. We had to manage how water would move through the property. You won’t see these decisions in a photograph, but they were just as essential to the design to ensure the house ages well.
The Results: an uplifting space for people to gather.
Picture this: you walk up the exterior stairs, surrounded by palm fronds, and the moment you reach the upper terrace, you experience openness and ocean views.
By obsessing over all the details, like the upper terrace drain, which we worked to hide from view to create a minimalist, elevated experience, we were able to create the space our clients desired. Austere, elegant, generous, and alive.
At BELO, we're interested in architecture that is ambitious without necessarily being complicated. We believe good buildings should respond intelligently to where they are, how they're built, and how people will actually use them.
Ultimately, I don't want someone to walk into Casa Kuun and think first about the architecture. I want them to feel that life there seems incredibly easy. If we achieve that, then the architecture has done its job.
