Architects: TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual
Area: Exterior Surface: 320 m², Construction Area: 200 m²
Year: 2018
Photographs: Leo Espinosa
Interior Design: TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual
Landscape Design: TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual
Construction: Predeco
Team: Carlos Patrón Ibarra, Alejandro Patrón Sansor, Ana Patrón Ibarra, Estefanía Rivero Janssen, Joaquín Muñoz Olivera
Branding: Bienal Comunicación
City: Mérida
Country: Mexico
Édron Gallery, designed by TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual in Mexico, is the first intervention in Grupo Predeco’s old corporate building, adapting an underutilized space into a showroom for its permeable paver brand, Édron. The project integrates the exhibition area with sales and audit offices, consolidating them while freeing space for future commercial uses. The intervention includes two parallel walls along the sidewalks, creating an atrium that connects to an enclosed exhibition room and rooftop space for temporary outdoor exhibitions and events. A fountain in the atrium enhances ventilation, sound, and biodiversity. The structure showcases Édron’s products throughout, including permeable pavers applied in a brick-like pattern for walls that allow airflow, light, and protection from vandalism and hurricane winds. Interiors feature burnished stucco walls, polished white concrete floors, and a neutral-toned material palette for durability and visual cohesion, contrasted by black metallic elements reflecting corporate identity. The project also replaced avenue parking with a pedestrian-friendly sidewalk, incorporating urban furniture, lighting, and native vegetation, while a small plaza under existing trees promotes walkability and public interaction.
The Édron Gallery represents the first intervention in the former corporate building of Grupo Predeco, a company that has been manufacturing and commercializing construction materials in southeastern Mexico for over 40 years. Édron, a Predeco brand, specializes in permeable pavers. The project’s objective was to adapt an existing space for product exhibition. However, the approach extended beyond a simple showroom, aiming to showcase various applications of the materials, demonstrate their contribution to the architectural language and urban aesthetics of the region and highlight their ability to create sensory experiences.
A material should not be judged solely by its appearance—there are many other sensory aspects that define it.
Interview with Carlos Patrón Ibarra of TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual
The building housing the Édron Gallery was underutilized following the relocation of the corporate offices, leaving only a sales point and an audit office, which were spatially disconnected. The project integrates a showroom alongside these functions, consolidating them within a smaller area. This reorganization frees the remaining space for a future second phase, where new uses will be introduced, leveraging the commercial potential of the site.
The intervention involved constructing two parallel walls along the sidewalks to create a transitional space between the existing structure and the street, forming an atrium that serves as the access point to the enclosed exhibition room and the new staircase leading to the rooftop. The rooftop was designated for temporary outdoor exhibitions and can also accommodate nighttime events. Furthermore, an audit office and a restroom were added to this level. The atrium features a fountain and water garden designed to improve air circulation, generate ambient sound, attract birds, and regulate mosquito populations. This space functions as a prelude to the exhibition room, which is open and adaptable, displaying products in a museographic manner. It also integrates essential functions such as the counter, payment stations, waiting area, meeting room, management office, and restroom.
As visitors move through the building, they interact with the materials produced by the brand, which were used throughout the entire structure. These elements are present in the sidewalks, parking areas, wall and floor finishes, gardens, and urban furniture. One of the most prominent features is the rectangular permeable paver (10x20x6 cm), used to construct the surrounding walls. Applied in a brick-like arrangement, this material is derived from the locally abundant limestone. Its placement creates strategically positioned voids that allow natural light and air to pass through while providing protection against vandalism and hurricane winds. Inside, burnished stucco was applied to the walls and ceilings, while the floors are finished in polished white concrete. All stone-based materials were left exposed to minimize maintenance requirements, maintaining a uniform tonality that reinforces visual cohesion. These elements contrast with black metallic details, which were incorporated to align with the company’s corporate identity.
The project removed all parking spaces along the avenue to make way for a walkable sidewalk, which was equipped with urban furniture, lighting, and endemic vegetation. At the corner, beneath the shade of existing trees, a small public square was created. These interventions were designed to enhance the city’s urban infrastructure, prioritizing pedestrian movement and accessibility.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
