Trava & Quintero Houses, designed by TACO taller de arquitectura contextual, are two magnificent examples of contemporary architecture that beautifully merge with the natural surroundings. Located in the outskirts of Monterrey, Mexico, these houses showcase the creativity and ingenuity of Mexican architects. This article takes a closer look at the design and construction of Trava & Quintero Houses and explores how TACO’s contextual approach to architecture has made these houses a marvel of modern Mexican architectural design.
Trava & Quintero Houses is a rehabilitation project that preserves the built heritage of the Santa Lucia neighborhood, one of the most touristy areas in Merida, Mexico. The primary objective of the project is to convert the two buildings into two temporary accommodation spaces while taking advantage of their privileged location behind one of the city’s most popular public squares known for its cultural offerings.
The project is designed by TACO taller de arquitectura contextual, who followed the guidelines of conservation institutions, with a focus on integrating the facades and material palettes to recover the scale of the original constructions in the neighborhood. This approach also provides an alternative solution to the urban image issues that arise from the subdivision of properties in the area.
When the project began, both buildings had been operating as commercial spaces for several years and had undergone multiple interventions that responded to the immediate needs of the tenants. The first step was to remove the added elements to uncover the original structure of both buildings. Once this was done, the resulting spaces were analyzed to see how they could be adapted to the new activities that would take place in them. Similarly, the entrances and horizontal and vertical circulation were redesigned to improve the habitability of the spaces, providing them with cross-ventilation and natural lighting.
The project included the reconstruction of the slabs, the complete replacement of the installations, and the application of new finishes wherever necessary, as all the previous ones were in an advanced state of deterioration. Similarly, the heights of the slabs were standardized, and the openings of doors and windows were aligned.
Casa Trava and Casa Quintero, the two buildings that were rehabilitated, have different configurations. Casa Trava is a two-bedroom private residence with a shared bathroom, a kitchen, a social area (dining room-living room), a half-bathroom, a laundry room, an open patio, and a shallow pool. Meanwhile, Casa Quintero is a one-bedroom residence with an open loft-style bedroom, a bathroom with a bathtub, a kitchen, a social area with a double-height ceiling, a laundry niche, an open patio, and a pool.
The materiality proposal seeks to highlight the history of the houses and respond to the characteristic moisture problems in buildings of this type. Part of the patina of the walls was preserved and framed by the repairs made to the deteriorated parts and where the new installations passed through. Lime paint was used for wall and ceiling finishes, except in the damp areas where a waterproof stucco with a smooth finish was used. The masonry of the adjacent walls was also uncovered. For the interior floors, rough gray concrete, Santo Tomas marble, and paste were used. Open perimeter joints were left on the ground floor to allow for moisture release. Local permeable gravel with hammered concrete plates was used for the exterior.
TACO taller de arquitectura contextual has successfully transformed the two houses into two unique spaces for temporary accommodation. The rehabilitation project retained the original essence of the buildings while creating comfortable and habitable spaces in the heart of the city. The project acknowledges the importance of preserving cultural heritage while responding to contemporary needs, making it exemplary for urban regeneration initiatives.
