Espacio Kaab / Di Frenna Arquitectos

Architects: Di Frenna Arquitectos
Area: 401 m²
Year: 2021
Photographs: Lorena Darquea
Architecture team: Matia Di Frenna Müller, Mariana de la Mora Padilla, Engineer Juan Gerardo Guardado Avila
Manufacturers: AutoDesk, Chaos Group, Holcim, Lumion, Adobe, Bruno Cocinas, El Roblito Carpintería, Estevez, Hidrosoluciones, Legrand / Bticino, Pasa, TRAMEVI, Trimble Navigation
Town: Comala
Country: Mexico

Espacio Kaab, a 400-square-meter residence by Di Frenna Arquitectos in Comala, Mexico, uses natural materials—stone, rammed earth, carrizo weaving, and traditional stucco—to create a structure that appears to “emerge organically from the ground.” Completed in December 2021, the project incorporates local materials and respects the site’s existing flora, including primavera and tamarind trees. Designed with courtyards and openings, the home offers views of the La Barragana River and a nearby historic hacienda, honoring the legacy of artist Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo by blending traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques. The layout features seamless indoor-outdoor spaces, private courtyard bedrooms, and bathrooms with outdoor showers. Raw materials such as river stone and chukum stucco connect the home to local construction traditions while requiring minimal maintenance.

Di Frenna Arquitectos employed natural materials—stone, rammed earth, carrizo weaving, and a traditional stucco—to shape Espacio Kaab in Comala, Mexico, giving it the appearance of a “volume that emerged organically from the ground.” The project is situated on a semi-arid site in Comala, a small town near Colima, the capital of the province sharing its name.

Di Frenna Arquitectos, led by Matia Di Frenna Müller and based in Colima, completed Espacio Kaab in December 2021, using materials that directly reflect the local environment. “Some of these materials were sourced directly from Comala, most notably the rammed earth walls, formed using the ancient technique of compacting earth to achieve concrete-like density and structural integrity,” the studio noted. The 400-square-meter home’s design accommodates existing plants and trees on the site, leading the architects to integrate courtyards and openings throughout the structure.

“As one enters the property, the natural environment immediately enchants the visitor, creating moments of quiet wonder,” stated Di Frenna Arquitectos. “On and around the property, primavera trees, parotas, tamarind trees, and a stunning view of the La Barragana river welcome guests into the region’s characteristic subtropical climate,” the studio added.

Guests park beneath an overhanging volume and then ascend a stone staircase to reach the home’s main level. The partially sunken ground floor, accessible from within the house, includes two guest bedrooms and bathrooms.

The first floor, the main level of the home, features a lush courtyard that guides visitors through the residence and toward views of a nearby historic hacienda once owned by artist Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo. The home honors Rangel’s legacy by celebrating local craftsmanship. “However, the space also transcends the original inspiration by marrying these traditional crafts and materials with new techniques and innovative structural solutions,” noted the architecture studio.

Large openings on both sides of the dining room create a seamless flow between the interior and exterior spaces. “Inhabitants can walk barefoot across the same natural stone floor, unable to tell whether they’re indoors or outdoors,” said Di Frenna Arquitectos.

A painting studio is located on one side of the dining room, while the kitchen and living room are positioned on the opposite side. The living room, with windows on two sides, opens onto a wraparound porch sheltered by a projecting roof overhang. Two additional bedrooms are set within separate volumes in the courtyard, providing greater privacy and independence. The bathrooms feature outdoor showers and soaking tubs nestled within surrounding foliage. Di Frenna Arquitectos employed a raw material palette inspired by local construction traditions, designed to require minimal maintenance and to weather naturally over time.

“To create the impression of a house emerging organically from the ground, raw, natural tones form the project’s primary palette,” the architecture studio explained. Core elements include local palm wood, river stone, woven carrizo ceilings, and “artisanal blacksmithing.”

In other areas, wooden beams form the ceilings, a detail the studio noted as a nod to Japanese construction. “Other characteristic tones, like the eggshell-colored chukum stucco on many of the walls, also derive from ancient Mexican construction techniques and native materials,” the studio added.