Living The Gardens development is a complex of 9 villas located in Cancun, Mexico. The main objective was to create dwellings with an innovative design but with a local architectural sensation where families can enjoy harmony and create a strong social fabric integrated in a natural environment.
The project promotes healthier lifestyles within its inhabitants by offering Wellness amenities such as a yoga deck, picnic and vegetable garden, pool, art corridor, massage tepees, playground and pet-friendly area. It also promotes the reduction of the use of resources, economic savings and a more sustainable housing product through passive and bioclimatic design. The first step is to make a climate analysis. A research on the local climate in Cancun and the specific microclimate where the building is located had to be made. And a specialized software was used to analyze each one of the facades to give the best response to the wind, sunlight, and other climate factors.
In the region, the climate is warm and humid with an average annual temperature between 28º C and 32º C in summer, and from 26º C to 27º C in winter. Due to these characteristics, the project implements the following strategies:
Solar protection
The project is protected from solar incidence with native vegetation, the volumetry of the building itself and wooden louvers located in the south façade, where the solar incidence is more intense.
Cross-Ventilation
Knowing that the dominant winds in Cancun come from the Southeast, it was decided to design the volumetry of the project in a way that ensures a constant natural cross-ventilation. This makes it possible to substitute the air-conditioning for fresh outside air, at least during most of the year. At the same time, this helps to reduce the energetic consumption related to air-conditioning, helping the family economy and the environment.
Vegetation
The use of native vegetation in a great percentage of the unbuilt part of the land creates a microclimate that reduces the thermal sensation in general and, as mentioned before, reduces the solar insulation. Featuring also, new vegetation areas integrated with the architectural design.
Living The Gardens is a real estate development that integrates the economic vision of real estate development but achieves to offer a housing product that gives more importance to the physical, emotional and social health of the users while respecting the environment.
Gold Winner – Archframe Design Awards 2022
Design Firm – sanzpont [arquitectura]
Project Title – Living The Gardens
Project Category – Housing Multi-Family
Status – Unbuilt
Architect – Sergio and Victor Sanz Pont
Design Team – Victor y Sergio Sanz Pont, Ana Cristina Avilés, José Rodríguez, Erik Pacheco & Bernardo Ortiz
Profile: Professional Architect
Country – United States
Winners
Winner Yearbook and Certificate
