Pórtico Palmeto Building / TACO Taller De Arquitectura Contextual

Architects: TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual
Area: 135 m²
Year: 2018
Photographs: Leo Espinosa, Carlos Patrón
Manufacturers: CASTEL, Cemex, Comex, Tecnolite, URREA, Westinghouse
Interior Design: TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual
Landscape: TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual
Project Team: Carlos Patrón Ibarra, Alejandro Patrón Sansor, Ana Patrón Ibarra, Estefanía Rivero Janssen.
City: Mérida
Country: Mexico

Pórtico Palmeto, designed by TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual in Cholul, Mérida, is a multifunctional building within the former Vivero Cholul Palmetum. Serving primarily as an architecture studio, it emphasizes a connection with nature while also hosting socio-cultural activities. The program includes a multifunctional esplanade, pedestrian garden path, portico with terraces, workspaces, a central patio, and a rooftop terrace. Positioned at the rear for future expansion, the building integrates passive cooling strategies and deployable bamboo panels for climate control and security. Constructed using regional materials, it features exposed burnished stucco, white concrete floors, and termite-resistant hardwood. The landscape incorporates endemic vegetation, Mayan Solar edible plants, and aquatic gardens for mosquito control. The project synthesizes regional influences, drawing from Mayan vernacular architecture, Franciscan convents, and Yucatecan haciendas, creating a contemporary yet contextually rooted design.

Pórtico palmeto building / taco taller de arquitectura contextual

I like skylights, patios, and everything that interacts with water, light, and nature. These elements create unique atmospheres, and those are the details I enjoy designing the most.
Interview with Carlos Patrón Ibarra of TACO Taller de Arquitectura Contextual

Pórtico Palmeto is a multifunctional building situated within the former Palmetum, a collection of palm trees from the iconic Vivero Cholul, a 2.5-hectare green space that has existed for several years. Located in the heart of Cholul, a community of Mayan-colonial origin within the municipality of Mérida in southeastern Mexico, the project integrates into this historically and ecologically significant setting.

The primary objective was to create a living environment that maintains a strong connection with both nature and an established social context while also serving as a functional, versatile, and inspiring space for the activities planned within it.

The primary function of the complex is to serve as an architecture workshop and studio. However, the spaces were intentionally designed to move away from the conventional office stereotype, instead prioritizing a more welcoming and domestic atmosphere, recognizing that it is a place where people spend a significant portion of their day. For visitors, the goal was to create a sensory connection with the architectural and construction values promoted by the workshop. Moreover, the space accommodates socio-cultural activities as a secondary function.

The program includes a permeable multifunctional esplanade, a garden/pedestrian path integrated into the master plan, and a programmed portico with terraces and relaxation areas that define access to both public and private spaces. Furthermore, the layout features a living room/meeting room, a kitchenette, a full bathroom, a storage room, a work area, a central patio, and an open roof terrace equipped with two half bathrooms and a machine room.

The construction is positioned at the rear of the site due to functional considerations and its integration into the broader master plan while maintaining visibility from the street as a neighborhood security strategy. Its volumetric design is shaped by an existing tree survey and incorporates passive systems such as zenith openings for hot air evacuation, optimal orientation for sunlight exposure, cross-ventilation, and high ceilings. The portico features a series of locally produced deployable bamboo panels that regulate solar exposure, adjust privacy levels, and enhance the building’s security against vandalism and hurricanes.

The construction system follows the most common regional method, utilizing blocks, joists, and cement slabs. The roof was cast on-site using waterproof concrete and is thermally insulated with polystyrene panels. The hydrosanitary system separates gray and black water, treating them through a grease trap and a biodigester, respectively. Lighting is provided by LED fixtures, and the equipment operates with inverter technology to enhance energy efficiency.

Regarding materiality, the architectural finishes are left exposed to minimize maintenance. The floors are made of white concrete with echocrete joints to facilitate moisture release, along with pre-cast plates produced on-site for assembling fixed furniture. The walls and ceilings feature burnished stucco, pigmented with earth tones sourced from the site. The carpentry incorporates termite-resistant hardwood, while the windows are constructed from natural aluminum and tempered glass. Furthermore, all interior spaces are designed to accommodate mosquito nets.

Colors are primarily observed in the access thresholds to public areas and in selected furniture pieces. These choices were inspired by the site’s popular architecture and their ability to harmonize with the tones of the preexisting vegetation, which was further enhanced with endemic species that attract wild birds, aromatic plants, and edible species commonly found in the traditional Mayan Solar. Moreover, aquatic gardens were incorporated to serve as natural mosquito controllers and attract local fauna. These elements contribute to the broader range of intangible sensory experiences that the building offers.

The project aspires to be a syncretic building, distilling the qualities of regional architectural heritage—including the coherence of Mayan vernacular architecture, the sobriety and mysticism of Franciscan convents, and the functionality of Yucatán haciendas, among others. It seeks to reconcile these influences with the defining characteristics of the historical moment in which it exists.