Casa Los Tigres, a house by the beach that exemplifies Mexico’s unique biophilic design language, created in collaboration with architect Fernando Sánchez.

Casa Los Tigres is located in Nuevo Vallarta, a small beach town on the west coast of Mexico.    For one half of the year, the climate here is pleasantly warm, negating the use of air conditioning and allowing buildings to stay open to the outdoors. During the other half of the year, when the temperatures are higher but so is the humidity, the landscape transforms as the vegetation flourishes.    This climate informed César and Fernando’s decision to incorporate an even ratio of indoor and outdoor spaces, with some gracefully transitioning between the two realms.    Throughout, the garden has been embraced with the wet season in mind.

In addition to responding to the climate, César and Fernando have also integrated architectural features typical of the region, one being fired-clay roofs and floors. This naturally-textured material is joined by other materials of the same nature, including hand-made bricks and tiles, and stained tropical wood, all of which have been sourced locally. “We didn’t seek shiny finishes – instead, we were interested in working with local, organic materials,” César says.