Ludwig Godefroy’s Casa VO / WO in Puerto Escondido, Mexico exemplifies a radical rethinking of architectural conventions, where the delineation between indoor and outdoor spaces dissolves into a seamless, habitable garden.
Nestled on the Mexican Pacific coast, the four identical dwellings challenge traditional notions of home design, responding intimately to the region’s consistently warm climate.
Godefroy’s architectural vision flips the classical schema of a house encircled by a garden, opting instead to encapsulate the garden within the very essence of the house. This inversion is a testament to the potential of architecture to harmonize with its environment, fostering a lifestyle that embraces the outdoors. The homes remain perpetually open, allowing inhabitants to bask in the natural elements while being sheltered from the sun and rain.
The architectural structure is distinguished by its V-shaped roof, formed by partial roofs that slope towards each other, converging to create a central, reclined skylight. This design approach not only serves as a luminous passageway but also enhances the permeability of light and air. Entering through the lower skylight, residents traverse past a pool and through another skylight into the primary living area, which houses a bedroom, kitchen, dining room, and seating areas under the slanting roof. The lofted bedroom and restroom are strategically placed beneath the highest point of the structure, maximizing space and light.
Concrete notches atop the roof function as stepping stones, providing an intriguing method for traversing the building’s length. Below ground level, the kitchen is demarcated by a circular concrete divider, which also separates the downstairs sleeping area from food preparation. A similar structural column encases the shower in the upstairs bedroom, further emphasizing Godefroy’s commitment to simplicity and functionality.
Eschewing the unnecessary trappings of urban architecture, Godefroy’s design eliminates windows and glass, instead integrating additional glazed skylights and openings along the back wall to illuminate the cavernous living areas. The party walls, with their geometric circular and triangular cutouts, afford privacy while contributing to the building's aesthetic with fin-like extensions.
Godefroy’s choice of materials—concrete, wood, and brick—reflects a deliberate focus on durability and the beauty of aging. These "massive" materials are selected for their capacity to develop a patina over time, enhancing the structure’s appearance as it weathers the elements. This temporal aspect is crucial to Godefroy’s philosophy, where time itself is treated as an integral component of the design, allowing the homes to mature and improve aesthetically. By eliminating superfluous elements and embracing a clean, abstract aesthetic, Godefroy creates a sanctuary that celebrates the simplicity and purity of living within a habitable garden.
