Immersed inside the low jungle of Puerto Escondido, between Nim trees, Casa OHANA finds its footprint to settle. A sinuous path unfolds through dense, tall vegetation, interrupted by a monolithic planting of Mesquite and Plumbago, revealing for the first time a large structure with a floating roof and shade. The fierce crashing of waves against the sand, tearing it apart, makes the house vibrate and splattered with tar. The house gives the illusion of a ship navigating high winds and seas.
The social area of the house is a large elevated platform in the form of staggered slabs that captures views and breeze from all points. Above the platform, a light overhang expands and flies to shield from summer rain and winter sun. The overlapping of the sloping platform and flat slab creates a tunnel that accelerates the wind and allows it to increase freshness in light of the high temperatures of the coast.
Unlike the social area, which consists of a continuous space entirely exposed to the natural surroundings, the more hermetic private areas are envisioned as almost closed volumes with the exception of two openings: the ocean view and the backyard garden, more intimate spaces.
The luxury of the house lies in the simplicity of harmony with the natural environment. Cross ventilation, ocean views, and the appropriation of small gardens in each room create a parenthesis of calm and privacy. The house serves as a catalyst for coexistence with the jungle, the beach, and the sea.
