Architects: CLACLÁ Taller de Arquitectura: Claudia Turrent y Axel De La Torre
Area: 254 m²
Year: 2021
Photographs: Yoshihiro Koitani
Manufacturers: AutoDesk
Lead Architects: Claudia Turrent, Axel De La Torre
Construction: IMVA (Arq. Ibeli Mendoza Valdovinos)
Technical Assistance: Jess Shockley
City: Ensenada
Country: Mexico
Dos Hijas Gallery, designed by CLACLÁ Taller de Arquitectura, offers a contemporary reinterpretation of vernacular architecture from arid regions. Located in Ensenada, Baja California, the project connects a house, gallery, and guest house through an elevated exterior corridor, integrating with the landscape. Vegetation was carefully transplanted to preserve the coastal scrub ecosystem. Built using the traditional COB method—combining straw, clay, and granite—the hand-crafted walls taper from 80 cm to 50 cm and are crowned with a concrete belt for structural integrity. The project is self-sustaining, using rainwater harvesting, solar power, and a passive water filtration system.
Dos Hijas Gallery pays tribute to the vernacular architecture of arid regions worldwide, reimagining it in a modern context. The design centers on a single compositional axis, where the facilities serve as the backbone of a structural “spine” connecting the house, gallery, and guest house via an elevated exterior corridor that spans the entire site. This external pathway allows users to experience and appreciate the landscape and climate while moving between spaces.
Situated in the scenic town of Ensenada, Baja California, the Dos Hijas Gallery project rises from the coastal scrub, a delicate and rapidly vanishing ecosystem in the region. To ensure harmonious integration with the natural surroundings, the vegetation within the building footprints was carefully transplanted during construction and relocated to the affected areas, creating a symbiotic relationship between the architecture and the surrounding environment.
The construction utilized the traditional COB method, an ancient technique that combines straw, clay, and granite to shape the structure, similar to molding a clay vessel. Every centimeter of the building was crafted with painstaking manual labor, highlighting the skill and precision of the artisans involved.
This construction method eliminates the need for a secondary structure. The walls, built on a stone foundation, begin with a base thickness of 80 cm and taper to 50 cm as they rise, with a gentle slope that offers protection from the elements. A concrete belt crowns the walls, tying the structure together at the top. These sculptural forms appear to emerge organically from the earth, resembling natural formations shaped by earth, water, and sun, crafted with the skilled hands of workers and the involvement of the building owners.
This architectural project is notable for its complete independence from typical city infrastructure. The roofs collect and store rainwater, electricity is generated through solar panels, and a passive system treats, filters, and recycles all water on-site, maintaining harmony with the surrounding environment.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
