Economic bloom meets cultural craft

JM: We are among the so-called emerging economies. Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, the economy is stagnant. Here, we have more opportunities, resources, and freedom nowadays.

In Latin America, Mexico is one of the most developed countries and receives significant economic investment. However, we also have a rich cultural heritage and are accustomed to balancing these aspects. This balance extends beyond architecture to include economics, social dynamics, and political structures. Regarding architecture and our scale of work, our field heavily relies on manpower. This is deeply embedded in our culture. For us, the maestro de obra, who is not the contractor but the actual craftsmen doing the work, plays a crucial role. They are the ones who know the materials and everything about them. They have an intuitive understanding that is really impressive. Sometimes, they say things like, "The wood told me how to cut it", or "The wall wasn't completely orthogonal, so it asked me to make adjustments". It's something beautiful because they talk about the construction and materials as if they were living beings. The materials almost speak to them. At Void, we place a lot of importance on maestros. This collaboration fosters a sense of partnership between the architect and the construction team. 

FR: I think there's a really strong culture in Mexico that permeates every aspect of life, including socially, in the culinary arts, and in the way we function in society. Naturally, this cultural richness translates into our architecture. Our generation, in particular, has a unique set of experiences. Many of us have spent time abroad, observed different practices, and returned to Mexico with a new perspective. We've come to appreciate the benefits of being here, especially the level of expertise in local craftsmanship, which is something we leverage extensively. This expertise is evident everywhere and is one of the elements that make Mexican architecture so compelling. Additionally, our economic system, despite experiencing numerous recessions and crises, remains powerful and resilient. As a culture, we like to invest in our future, which is reflected in our architectural endeavours. 

Chihuahua’s complex evolution

FR: Chihuahua is the largest state and territory in Mexico. Here, we have a saying that we are both blessed and cursed because of our proximity to the United States, which significantly influences how the city and the state operate across various aspects. Additionally, we boast a vast forest and mountain system, which is integral to our state. However, this natural blessing is also a significant curse due to the ongoing issues with the narcos. At times, our state has experienced severe violence and serious challenges as a result. These issues have profoundly shaped the city's development and architectural landscape, particularly at an urban scale. It has transformed into a city defined by walls, a stark reflection of our complex circumstances.

JM: In 2010 and 2011, Chihuahua faced a serious issue with a government war against narcos, significantly impacting the social fabric of the city. As a response, the city began to fortify itself with walls, fences, and barriers. This trend has shaped the urban landscape of Chihuahua and its neighbouring city, Ciudad Juarez, over the past decade or so. Ciudad Juarez, being the second most important city in Chihuahua and located on the border with El Paso, is one of the busiest crossing points globally, rivalled only by Tijuana. Conditions are indeed becoming harsher, which implies that in our field, we need to devise clever solutions, which unfortunately hasn't been the norm. In Chihuahua City, the focus tends to lean heavily towards the economic aspects. This results in large developments characterised by typical white boxes that heavily rely on air conditioning, depleting our local resources. Chihuahua is a relatively small city with almost a million inhabitants, mostly spread out across flat terrain. While small buildings are starting to appear sporadically, the city's residents are accustomed to having their own yards and spacious homes, contributing to its sprawling layout. Chihuahua's geographic location in the middle of a desert has historically shaped it as a car-centric city, with its infrastructure predominantly designed around automotive needs. Despite its modern developments, the city boasts a rich history anchored by its ancient downtown, which dates back over 300 years. Historically, mining has been a significant economic driver, a legacy that continues to influence the city's development today.

Stagnation to exploration

FR: I grew up and studied in Chihuahua, but after finishing school, I moved to Mexico City to live and work there. I started my career at JSA - Javier Sanchez Architects, which had always been a dream of mine. Coming from such a small city, I felt there were limited opportunities, and leaving was something I always wanted to do. After a year in Mexico City, I had to relocate to the United States. Joel and I met in Mexico City, and we eventually moved to Hawaii, where we lived and worked for almost four years. Despite its beauty, we began to feel constrained by the limitations of what we could achieve there.

JM: It truly was paradise. Our lives seemed almost perfectly set: good salaries, opportunities to travel, a steady routine, and a high quality of life in a beautiful place surrounded by friends, and so on. However, creatively, we were deeply dissatisfied.

FR: Professionally speaking, we felt stagnant, so we made a bold decision to travel around Southeast Asia for about four months. We sold everything, left it all behind: our car, furniture, everything. After travelling for a while, we eventually returned to Hawaii due to financial reasons, only to realise we were back in the same routine. By the end of our time there, we were back in the same office, working on the same projects. I vividly remember returning to my desk to find everything just as I had left it, down to the same post-it notes. It was a stark reminder of how slow-paced life can be in Hawaii. Following that, we moved to Mexico City and stayed there until 2021. It was just before the pandemic hit that I started feeling drawn back to Chihuahua.

JM: When we returned from Hawaii in 2013, we decided to establish our studio. We remained in Mexico City until 2021, during which time we undertook several projects. While our portfolio isn't extensive, the projects we did have provided invaluable experience. One particular client allowed us to engage from the initial stages, choosing the site, handling financial aspects, and of course, overseeing the design and construction. This hands-on involvement gave us a deep understanding of the entire building process. It felt like fulfilling the classic architect's dream of not just designing but also physically realising our designs.

LR: We were essentially designing for ourselves because we had a significant patron who, despite having no ties to architecture, was keen on constructing. Working with him allowed us to build projects that resonated with our own vision. In our studio, nothing leaves unless we genuinely like it. This approach has a romantic aspect, but we're committed to creating work that stirs something within us. Those apartments were a profound experience for us because, even today, we still feel connected to them. We still believe the solutions we developed there created a truly remarkable space.

Due to the earthquake in 2017, we had to halt our projects. That's when we began actively seeking clients, marking the start of our true practice. This shift meant we were no longer designing solely for ourselves or pursuing generic designs but engaging directly with clients and their specific needs.

JM: During the pandemic, Mexico City's development paused for a while, much like the rest of the world. However, Mexico remained open and welcoming to foreign investors and people. Consequently, investments began to soar rapidly. Like many other emerging studios, we also began to explore opportunities in other areas. For us, that meant focusing on Tulum. Despite this shift, we continued our practice in Mexico City, where we still have ongoing projects, even to this day.

From principles to practicality

JM: We truly love what we do, especially since we are a couple both in life and as founders of the studio. Our shared vision and values align closely, which is why we prioritise doing work that feels right to us. When starting out, you have to take on whatever comes your way to sustain yourselves. We've been fortunate that most of the projects we've undertaken are ones we're proud of. Now, we're at a point where we can be more selective. If something doesn't align with our values or if we don't feel passionate about it, we prefer not to pursue it. We understand that we're entrusted with substantial sums of money, often representing our clients' savings or investments. It's not a burden but rather a significant responsibility. This responsibility has always guided us to be extremely cautious and conscientious. 

FR: In our approach to architecture, we prefer a calm and introspective style, where we strive to maintain control over what we can influence. The good architecture I think, is the one that has a really good quality in the space and how you live it. It's not exactly how it looks but how you experience the place. Take, for example, Cuatro Cielos, which remains our most representative work even to this day. We believe it is important to stay true to certain principles and always find the right balance between all aspects: the investors, the clients, the quality of space, and the number of square meters. 

JM: We learned this from Anaxagoras 826, our very first big project as a studio located in Mexico City. We learned that most developers try to maximise the square footage they sell. With Anaxagoras, we could have created twice as many apartments as we did, but we chose not to. We wanted to provide people with terraces, not just balconies, because in Mexico City, open spaces are scarce. The investor understood that it was better to focus on quality spaces rather than quantity, and this approach proved beneficial. He ended up gaining more from fewer, well-designed apartments, as people were willing to pay more for good design. We applied this principle to Tsool and to 4 cielos as well, a project we designed in Tulum. Many investors were building large developments in a small, flat town near the jungle, but we decided to make only four apartments. We could have built at least 12 in the same space, but we prioritised giving people space and maintaining quality.

FR: We were able to find a balance between business needs and quality architecture, starting with Anaxagoras and later applying the same principles to Tulum, as Joel mentioned, to Cuatro Cielos, and now to Tsool. There's always an economic side and competition when designing something for sale. Our answer was always to return to the core of architecture and how people experience it. We understand that our way of designing buildings isn't for everyone. Both our investors and our final clients belong to a specific niche market. Our target isn't the super powerful or super wealthy, but we believe that through architecture, we can create truly exciting spaces that aren't prohibitively expensive. We remember that one of our client from Cuatro Cielos described it as a new kind of luxury. She loved being able to walk around barefoot, feel the humidity, open the windows, and let the sun in. 

For most of our projects, we aim to strip everything down to a simple palette, using only a few materials. With Cuatro Cielos, we focused on using whatever was locally available. For example, in Tulum, there's a trend to use chukum, a material sourced locally. It's not just romantic but also sustainable. This local material is perfect for the area's humidity and heat, providing natural insulation and helping to cool the interiors. We also used local limestone, which is abundant throughout the Riviera Maya. By incorporating these materials, we create spaces that are both beautiful and functional, deeply connected to their environment.

JM: We used the stone from the excavation for the building's foundations. When you see the photos or visit the building, you'll notice all these stone walls, and they come directly from the site. We also reused some of the wood from the scaffolding. Everything is 100% local. 

Quiet facades, lively interiors

JM: For Cuatro Cielos, we designed an unusual, almost weird shape for the building. We didn't focus much on how it looks from the outside; from the street, it appears quite plain and quiet. But once you step inside, it's like a Rubik's Cube unfolding, with different terraces and unique spaces being created.

FR: Each apartment at Cuatro Cielos is unique, almost like townhouses intertwined with each other. It was an experiment driven by our romanticised vision of how people would live there. While not everyone may prefer it, those who bought into it truly love it. Our market became niche, appealing to a select group of final clients. We aimed to encourage a genuine connection with their living space. Despite the humidity and heat, we wanted residents to embrace the environment rather than relying on constant AC in closed-off spaces. Our design features patios and terraces that compel residents to step outside, fostering interaction with the weather and constant awareness of their surroundings. We chose to focus inward because we couldn't control the eccentricities of neighbouring constructions in Tulum. Amidst a competition to create the most distinctive shapes, with blue buildings contrasting against the white and green jungle, our approach was to remain quietly distinctive.

JM: For each project, we conduct extensive research and deeply question our approach. We strive to bring something intriguing to the table, you know? That was our approach with Cuatro Cielos. Tsool, our latest project nearing completion in Tulum, builds upon the lessons from Cuatro Cielos. It consists of private, compact studios where despite their small size, residents can still feel connected to the jungle surroundings. We applied the lessons learned from Cuatro Cielos to Tsool, adapting them to Tulum's unique climate conditions, which include harsh conditions, such as humidity, severe rains, salty air, lack of infrastructure such as drainage or potable water by collecting it from rainfall and reuse it at WC and gardens

FR: Our approach has been to revisit traditional practices from centuries ago. This principle is central to our work, including the renovation of our practice's headquarters. The traditional Chihuahuan architecture, characterised by central patios, small doors, high ceilings, and thick walls, was originally designed to adapt to the local weather conditions. However, at some point in history, we moved away from these principles and began replicating architectural styles from the United States and other cities, which aren't suitable for our environment.

Restoring character

JM: For each project, we strive to devise solutions that resonate with us organically. In our recent endeavours in Chihuahua, particularly with La Casa Müller, our new office space, we were eager to give back to the community. While our work predominantly involves the private sector and Casa Müller is no exception, it's not a public project, this venture represents an evolution of our earlier ideas. Our focus with this project, situated in the historic district of Chihuahua, has been on preservation and honouring the building's original character.

FR: This part of the city holds the most historical identity, with a downtown that dates back at least 200 years. Over the past 50 years, economic factors have led to the abandonment of downtown areas, causing many historic houses to deteriorate into ruins due to a lack of economic viability. Consequently, the downtown area has become a significant challenge for the city. Chihuahua has unique geographic conditions that historically encouraged transit and migration toward the United States. Despite these challenges, our goal was to revitalise and attract people back to the heart of the city. When we partnered with the owner of the house, Casa Müller, it was in a state of disrepair, but we saw an opportunity to restore it and contribute positively to the community.

As a nice anecdote, we actually live just across the street from this house. Over time, we watched it deteriorate: walls crumbling, practically falling apart. Every time we passed by, we'd dream about what could be done with it. Then, one day, as we were walking by, we saw a bulldozer… They started tearing down parts of the house, and we were shocked, thinking they might just turn it into another parking lot or a new building. Joel asked the guy in the truck who the owner was, and it turned out to be a neighbour who owned another office building. Joel asked him, "What are you planning to do with this property?" just out of curiosity. The owner replied, "Well, what would you do?" That's how we ended up getting the project. He said, "Sure, make me a proposal." The first thing we said was, "Hold on. Give us some time." After some time passed, there was a very rainy year, and most of the walls collapsed. Fortunately, we managed to salvage part of the building. 

Luckily, the owner was willing to listen when Joel visited him. Our solution was to showcase the history of the house and what we could do with it. The corner has been transformed into a new bakery; it was a place looking for something to contribute to the city. That's how we came up with that part of the building.

JM: Our focus for this project was to attract people back to the area using whatever means we had available. The original structure of the house provided a solid foundation, so our approach was to fill in the gaps. In the architecture, you'll notice the white parts represent the new additions to the project, while we made sure to preserve the old earthen adobe walls that still serve their original purpose of bearing the load of the ceiling. Adobe is particularly well-suited for our climate, making it a perfect choice. For us, the primary objective was to bring people back rather than focusing solely on the architectural aspects. Ultimately, to attract people back, we knew we had to tell a story. For us, that story was about showcasing the layers of the house's history. If you visit the bakery, you'll see the original floor and the tapestries that were once on the walls, which we chose to preserve in their original, albeit ruined, state. These elements reveal the house's past and the parts that have always been there. 

LR: As we mentioned, originally it was a house, but now it's been transformed into a community centre. The most significant one for us is a corner that houses a small bakery, which we actually run. When we first saw the space, we recognised its importance to the city, particularly within this neighbourhood. This corner holds historical significance and structural integrity. Our solution was to establish a bakery here. While it could have been anything, this was the solution that resonated with us and the community. The bakery fills the air with the delightful scent of pastries. We insisted that it must smell inviting, drawing people in and picking their curiosity about what's happening inside, both its appealing appearance and enticing aroma. For us, this was a triumph. We seized the opportunity to showcase our studio's work and ethos by integrating it into this space. Moreover, it features a patio and a small pavilion with terraces available for private events.

Cultural layers in contemporary design

FR: Our first project in Chihuahua was Casa Estudio. Initially, we named it Casa Estudio because we wanted to establish our office there. Previously, we had always worked from home, combining our living space with our studio. However, due to permit restrictions, we couldn't use it for our studio as we had hoped. We had to negotiate with the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) because the house is protected by their regulations. Despite this, we kept the name Casa Estudio. 

JM: The house has very unique characteristics. It's quite small, located at the corner of a street. It spans 60 square meters, measuring 10 by 6 meters across three levels, with walls that are 60 centimetres thick. What adds to its significance is its cultural heritage; it has been home to a prominent figure in Chihuahua's cultural scene for the past 30 years. He was a writer, philosopher, and polyglot known for his contributions to the community and fluency in eight languages. After his passing, we took over the house, and there was a widespread sentiment that it should be preserved as a museum or repurposed for another cultural use.

FR: Just for context, that house has been in my mother's family for a long time, and she rented it to this guy. However, most people didn't know this, so they assumed it was his house. When he passed away, we purchased it, unaware of how much of a shock it would be for the city. Initially, everyone had negative opinions, “Why were we living there? Why were we altering it?” Suggestions were made for it to become a museum, a library, or something else instead of our home. Everyone had an opinion. 

JM: The house is small and carries a significant cultural, social, and emotional weight that we need to respect. Our strategy involved preserving the original character of the lower level as much as possible. We even painted a poem of his on the wall, symbolising his place in the house's history. Architecturally, we aimed to emphasise a modern approach in the upper levels while respecting the strict guidelines set by the INA. Despite these constraints, we managed to create something that reflects a modern aesthetic. Our intention was to acknowledge the historical significance of the area without merely imitating the past or erasing it. We wanted to explore how the modern and traditional could coexist harmoniously. Ultimately, it has become a successful example of architectural integration.

FR: I believe this project has allowed us to make waves in the architecture community and in a positive way. Being our first project here, we quickly realised the challenges of assembling a competent building team in this area. Resources are limited, and we're quite isolated, far from the conveniences we had in Mexico City. This has presented us with a new set of challenges that we've learned to navigate.