Architect Ludwig Godefroy used concrete to create a cavernous structure with a central pool that is designed to facilitate natural cooling for a hotel on Mexico's Pacific coast.
The two-storey hotel ? sited in La Punta Zicatela near Puerto Escondido ? contains nine rooms and encompasses 600 square metres.
"The name, Casa TO, comes from the idea of serene contemplation of an enclosed space, like the reinterpretation of an Oaxacan temple, generating a radical sensory experience upon entering," said the hotel.
Casa To by Ludwig Godefroy is situated in a tropical town in Mexico
According to the hotel, the project required a structure that provided cooling during the day to deal with the hot temperatures of the region.
In order to accomplish this, Godefroy designed gardens for the six rooms on the ground floor and terraces and outdoor baths for the rooms above. The architect wanted to merge the hotel with the outdoors
All the rooms were laid out on one side of the property and given multiple exposures in order to create cross-breezes to help cool the interiors.
The centre of the space is occupied by a pool that runs the length of the property. This space's walls, floors and ceilings are made of cast-in-place concrete, lending it a cavernous quality.
It is flanked by stepped seating, which brings guests from their suites down to the water or up to a rooftop to enjoy views of the surrounding jungle.
According to the hotel, "the structure evokes the reticulated patte...