A serene retirement home designed by o.d.e in Hidalgo, Mexico, Casa Zempoala blends tradition and modernity through pink stone, courtyards, and timeless Mexican architectural references.
Conceived by the Mexico City-based architecture studio o.d.e (Oficina Documental de Espacio), the 189-square-meter residence sits lightly in the landscape, embracing the local vernacular without nostalgia. Its program—a home for an aging couple—becomes a platform for rethinking how architecture can hold memory, family, and climate in a single breath.
Structured around two central courtyards, Casa Zempoala engages in a spatial choreography of openness and introspection. These voids operate not only as social condensers but as meditative interludes, carving out moments of intimacy within a spatial framework attuned to familial rhythms. Drawing cues from Hidalgo’s rich architectural lineage, especially the soaring arches of the 16th-century Padre Tembleque aqueduct, o.d.e filters history through a contemporary lens. The use of archways and the region’s emblematic pink palette is neither pastiche nor mimicry—it’s a subtle transformation, abstracted just enough to speak the language of today.
Materiality plays a quiet yet decisive role in the home’s atmosphere. The pink stone, quarried nearby, interacts with pinewood beams and terracotta elements to form a tactile and chromatic landscape that feels both grounded and gentle. There is a crafted sensibility here—textures are allowed to speak, surfaces are not overly polished, and the building breathes in sync with its arid, cool environment. One senses a deep attunement to the local context—not only in aesthetics, but in performance. Orientation and ventilation were guided by bioclimatic principles, creating a microclimate that balances sunlight and shelter without relying on intrusive systems.
Perhaps most compelling is how the home’s spatial hierarchy adapts to intergenerational needs without falling into the trap of over-accommodation. The ground floor, where the couple resides daily, remains intimate and accessible, while a modest upper level hosts family and guests—linked by a skylit stairwell that acts as both a vertical threshold and a luminous gesture of connection. The gardens, curated by landscape designer Gabriel Guizar, echo this intergenerational ethos, using native flora to create contemplative, low-maintenance outdoor rooms.
