Pabellón De La Reserva / HEMAA

Architects: HEMAA
Year: 2023
Area: 263 m²
Photographs: César Béjar
Engineering: Grupo BVG
Landscape Design: Hugo Sánchez Paisaje
Interior design: Dirección MX in collaboration with HEMAA
Design Team: Santiago Hernández Matos, Alejandra Tornel Cahue, José Miguel Fainsod Castro, José Pedro López González, Andrés Fajardo González, Bernardo Bermeo Cervantes, Daniela Parra Orozco
Client: Reserva Santa Fe
District: Santa Fe
Country: Mexico

Pabellón de la Reserva, designed by HEMAA in the Santa Fe Reserve near Mexico City, is a 263-square-meter gathering space built with recycled steel and green-painted eaves to blend with its lakeside surroundings. Anchored by reinforced concrete footings extending into the lake, the structure features floor-to-ceiling glass framed by a recycled steel framework. The roof includes a smokestack, planters, and solar panels, supporting self-sufficiency as HEMAA pursues Living Building certification. Inside, Dirección MX designed an open living-dining area with FSC-certified wood finishes, a wooden privacy screen, and skylights formed by exposed steel beams and hollow rooftop planters. A Japanese-style paper pendant chandelier hangs from the gridded ceiling, visible from across the lake. Santiago Matos stated that the pavilion fosters community engagement, hosting events and workshops. A stone path leads to a wood-and-steel bridge by Hugo Sánchez Paisaje and a built-in lakeside conversation pit with a central fire pit.

Mexico City architecture studio HEMAA employed a steel structure and green-colored eaves for Pabellón de la Reserva, a meeting space located on the marshy shores of a lake in the mountains of central Mexico. Pabellón de la Reserva (Reserve Pavilion) was constructed as a gathering space on the shores of a small lake within the Santa Fe Reserve, located outside Mexico City.

The 263-square-metre structure sits low beside the lake, supported by reinforced concrete foot foundations that extend into the wet ground and, where the patio extends, into the lake itself. The structure is composed primarily of recycled steel, featuring low-hanging eaves painted green to blend with the environment as the owners host events and retreats.

HEMAA founder Santiago Matos stated that “The Pabellón de la Reserva is anchored by a delicate framework, with cantilevered eaves in an ash-green shade that blends with the surrounding environment.” He explained that “This design choice blurs the structure’s boundaries, framing the natural landscape with subtlety.” Matos further noted that “The architectural structure defines space and establishes a rhythm that harmonizes with its surroundings, creating a serene, airy atmosphere that invites visitors to engage with the beauty of the setting.”

Recycled steel columns frame floor-to-ceiling glass, which is enclosed by a wrap-around path extending to the concrete pathway. The structure’s roof features a single smokestack, giving the property a rural silhouette, along with planters and solar panels that contribute to its self-sufficiency.

HEMAA stated that they are on track to achieve Living Building certification, a prestigious international standard for sustainability. According to the studio, recycled steel constitutes nearly two-thirds of the structural steel and cladding, and it was sourced within 500 kilometers of the site. Next to the structure is an advanced rainwater collection system and a miniature treatment plant, which is concealed by wetland landscaping and utilizes both small artificial wetland filtration elements and industrial techniques.

Inside, the pavilion features a simple layout created in collaboration with interior studio Dirección MX, comprising an open living space arranged as a combined living and dining room. A smaller side section contains the kitchen and bathroom facilities.

FSC-certified wood covers much of the interior, which includes a built-in entertainment system and an elegant wooden screen that shields the floor-to-ceiling windows, providing privacy from the adjacent road. The structural steel beams forming the ceiling were left exposed, serving as skylights. The rooftop planting boxes are hollow, with side openings that channel light into a void within the ceiling area, introducing additional natural light into the interiors.

A central Japanese-style paper pendant chandelier hangs through the gridded ceiling structure and, when it is dark, becomes visible from a distance, even across the lake. Matos stated that the pavilion, “designed to host cultural events, workshops, and meetings, encourages community engagement and a deeper appreciation of nature.” He added, “Its open, flexible layout accommodates a range of activities—from intimate gatherings and conversations to larger events—enhancing its role as a dynamic and inclusive space for shared experiences.” A stone path extends from the patio to a wood-and-steel bridge, which connects to a small landscaped island designed by Hugo Sánchez Paisaje. On the shore, the studio incorporated a built-in concrete conversation pit featuring a central fire pit.