La Extraviada by EM Estudio

_project: La Extraviada
_architecture: EM Estudio
_location: Mazunte, Mexico

La Extraviada, a unique project by EM Estudio, is a vacation home situated in Mazunte, Oaxaca. The creation of architect Ivan Esqueda Martinez and interior designer Gala Sánchez-Renero Labelle, the house has been carefully conceived to blend seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. As the architect and owner, Ivan explains that the design was inspired by the idyllic setting itself. "La Extraviada does not fight against the nature of its context due to its proximity to the sea: the weather, the salt, the sun and the humidity, but uses it to its advantage, making it an essential part of the design," he says.

The challenge lay in creating a design that echoed the surrounding environment, letting the landscape dictate the form of the house, specifically the mountain. Ivan elaborates, "The biggest challenge to design La Extraviada was how to create a project where the landscape would dictate the shape of the house. This exact house couldn’t be anywhere else. We built the structures in a way that they would adapt as much as possible to the land."

As residents, Ivan and his family experience a unique interplay of design and nature that influences their daily lives. All rooms were designed to encourage the cross-flow of air, providing constant freshness. This design, combined with floor-to-ceiling wooden windows that open towards the sea, creates an open, comfortable environment. "It’s a place where we are always barefoot and with the windows open. It’s a place where we welcome the patina of time and nature," Ivan shares.

The design of La Extraviada embodies a profound connection with nature, communicating an enduring sense of serenity to its inhabitants and visitors. Ivan explains, "La Extraviada is a project that seeks to connect with nature and work with the surrounding elements, trying to create a construction that would seem like it has always been there, like stones that stand in balance on the hillside."

The residence, a sublime marriage of architecture and nature, is a testament to the couple's vision and collaborative spirit. The house not only adapts to the hill's topography but also reveals its spaces as one traverses up or down the mountain, giving a sense of discovery. La Extraviada, therefore, is not just a vacation home but an architectural masterpiece that celebrates and harmonizes with the vibrancy of the natural world.

_article written by Daniela Moreira Silva
_film by Mavix
_cover image courtesy of Ivan Esqueda Martínez
_drawings by EM Estudio:

1. Floor Plan (Level 30.5)
2. Floor Plan (Level 33.7)
   
3. Floor Plan (Level 39)
   
4. Floor Plan (Level 42.5)
   
5. Floor Plan (Level 46)
   
6. Floor Plan (Level 52)
   
7. South Side Section
8. Section A-A
9. Section B-B
   
10. Section C-C
    
11. Section D-D