Casa Cieno: Concrete coastal home in Oaxaca by TAC
TAC Taller Alberto Calleja designed Casa Cieno in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, featuring a planted roof, central pool, and an inward-focused layout.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Casa Cieno is located on a 1,500 sqm plot in the El Vigía sector of Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico.
- The project was designed by architecture studio TAC Taller Alberto Calleja.
- The house turns inward toward enclosed courtyards and a central pool instead of facing the sea directly.
- The material palette relies on exposed concrete, wood, and a functional green roof for natural climate control.
Architecture studio TAC Taller Alberto Calleja has completed Casa Cieno, a residential project situated along the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico. Located on a 1,500 square meter plot within the El Vigía sector of Puerto Escondido, the house is organized around enclosed courtyards, framed views, and a central pool. Rather than orienting directly toward the sea, the residence turns inward, utilizing surrounding vegetation and controlled openings to forge a quiet relationship with its context.
The primary rectangular volume is rotated diagonally against the property boundaries, generating green perimeter patios that serve as a natural vegetated buffer between the house and neighboring lots. At the core of the layout is a central courtyard anchored by a swimming pool, which acts as both the spatial and visual focal point of the residence. TAC Taller Alberto Calleja organized the interior program around this central water feature, effectively separating social zones from private quarters.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The inward-looking courtyard typology is a proven architectural strategy in tropical and coastal climates like Mexico's Oaxaca coast. By shielding living spaces from direct perimeter exposure, architects can mitigate harsh solar heat gain, buffer external noise, and create a localized cooling microclimate. Integrating a water body within a central void further enhances thermal comfort through evaporative cooling.
Pathways crossing the pool provide access to the two bedrooms, while the courtyard acts as a fluid transition zone connecting the various living spaces. Overhead, a circular opening cut into the roof slab frames the sky directly above the pool, allowing natural daylight to filter inward and visualizing the passing of time throughout the day through shifting shadows.
The material selection combines exposed concrete and wood, chosen specifically to withstand the climatic conditions of the Oaxacan coast and designed to weather naturally with time. Above the structure, an expansive green roof extends usable living space while restoring part of the greenery displaced by the footprint. This rooftop garden frames elevated views toward the sea and the Oaxacan mountains while contributing to the home's natural thermal regulation.
Source: designboom
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