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Four elongated windows form a picturesque backdrop to a bespoke table and chairs. The table was cast directly on site and completed with a Santo Tomás marble top. -
Arched openings create unbeatable views of the garden and celosia wall. The architects were able to preserve existing trees, which helped create a connection between the project and the site. -
Windows and doors were carefully positioned to frame beautiful vistas, as well as to capture wind flow and reduce the energy footprint. -
Large arched doors create a natural flow between the sitting room and exterior spaces. -
Hand-polished cement walls and ceilings are a great canvas for the furniture fabricated by design studio Co-Lab. -
Custom cast-concrete lights hang elegantly above the kitchen island. The floors are made of thick cast-in-place cement, ground down to expose black gravel and create a terrazzo look. -
Stone dug directly out of the ground was used to create a statement wall and water feature for the pool. -
Because the villa is in an active hurricane zone, the house is constructed from reinforced cement. Materials that can withstand high humidity were also used to accommodate Tulum’s heavy rainfall. -
A cleverly placed skylight in the bathroom floods it with natural light. -
Sunlight filters into the stairwell, where the soft curves of the arched opening act in strong juxtaposition to the angular lines of the rest of the space. -
Planning the home around long-established tree clusters ensured that a natural canopy now shades an upstairs patio. -
The architects chose a soft grey palette for the home, creating finishes that harmoniously blended together. This can be seen in the understated main bathroom. -
Custom designed and built-in bed platforms give the interiors a more integrated feeling.
WORDS Jo Buitendach PHOTOS César Béjar
Thanks to smart design and a fine attention to detail, the lush interior and exterior spaces of this Mexican holiday home become one.
Arriving at Villa Petricor is like discovering a Mayan Ruin settled in the ground, and covered by centuries of lush greenery. It is difficult to believe that this unique vacation villa was only completed in 2022. But while it may not have been built by an ancient civilisation, there is no doubt that it’s a temple of design.
Villa Petricor is named after the scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. The moniker is a gentle reminder that we need to slow down and renew ourselves, and is fitting because the house is located in Tulum, a developing seaside town on the Yucatán Peninsula that gets a fair amount of rain. Built on a relatively small (about 300m2), angular and narrow lot, the three-bedroom home was planned around several existing tree clusters, which the architects worked hard to protect. Recognising the importance of the natural habitat, they only removed what they absolutely had to.
The villa was designed by Tulum-based Collaborative Design Office (or Co-Lab), which was founded by Joana Gomes and Joshua Beck in 2010. The duo are deeply inspired by the beauty of the area they live in. Co-Lab didn’t just tackle the architectural design on this project, though – as a full-service practice, the studio also took care of the general contracting and landscaping, and planned, sourced and created much of the home’s interiors. Co-Lab has an active workshop in which furniture and lights are developed. As Joshua says, “We started producing custom elements for our work in Tulum because it was challenging to find accessories we liked – and I think this approach allows for more holistic, harmonious projects.”
A key feature in the design of the villa is light, whether that comes from windows or practical skylights. The windows were carefully planned around the position of trees and plants, ensuring not only great views of the outdoors but also that the natural light filters through, decorating the walls with dancing shadows. Impressive arched openings, including large pivot windows, connect the interior to the garden and pool, blurring the lines between these eye-catching spaces. The pivoting windows were custom-designed and fabricated from rolled stainless-steel tube frames. Four skylights bring in more natural light and ventilation; one of those is in the main bathroom, which gives the effect of showering in the jungle.
All finishes in Villa Petricor are custom, including the luxurious polished cement walls and terrazzo floors, coloured with mineral pigments mixed on site and blended to create a sculpted, monolithic interior. Co-Lab also conceived and built the platform beds and benches, which merge with the walls and expansive vaulted ceilings to create seamless spaces. Soft earth-toned fabrics complement bespoke furnishings and decorations designed and fabricated by the architecture studio. The dining table was cast directly on site and completed with a Santo Tomás marble top. This marble was also used on the kitchen countertops and in the bathrooms. The dining chairs were designed by Co-Lab and made by a local carpenter.
Just as much attention was paid to the outside, where a carefully thought-out tropical garden provides privacy, but also creates a beautiful backdrop to all the rooms. “Many of the trees already existed in the space, and we were able to maintain them and adjust the design accordingly, which helped to establish a connection between the site and the project,” says Joshua. “We also added plants, many of them indigenous, to make the garden more lush.”
A statement celosia wall separates the haven from the street and acts as a noise barrier. It also means that the pool could be positioned at the front of the house, where it gets maximum sun exposure. The wall is made using prefabricated bricks, with an arch that subtly mimics the arches inside the home.
When asked what they are most proud of, Joshua says, “A toucan family that we noticed before starting construction has returned to the site. We’re also happy the owners appreciate this house enough to ask us to design a second home for them.”
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