The Chukum resin, extracted by boiling the tree's bark twice, imparts the mixture with hydrophobic qualities and a warm, rosy color without the need for artificial dyes. Casa Chukumera serves as the residence of someone who has contributed to the popularization of this material. The P11 Arquitectos studio, while designing the villa, harnesses both the bioclimatic qualities of Chukumera, thanks to its impermeability, and its aesthetic qualities, owing to its attractive color and texture. The objective is to innovate with its versatility and make it a protagonist in every space of the house
Chukumera House: Maya's Ancient Wisdom. A Single-Family Residence in Yucatán
The client of Chukumera House has a special connection to the main material featured in this architecture, which also gives it its name: Chukum. With elegance and naturalness, it tells an ancient story of this part of the world, where it was used as a stucco made from limestone mixed with resin from the trees of the same name
Casa Chukumera, situated on a 1350 sqm plot of land in the outskirts of Mérida city, is elevated on a single level with dual access points and features a design of interconnected volumes under a unified roof slab. In terms of functionality, the decision is made to create three main compositional axes that run parallel to each other, encompassing the dual access, the house, and the garden, while allocating nearly 50% of the land for the preservation of a permeable area that will provide shade and thermal insulation
Similarly, the pathway through the corridor surrounded by vegetation is utilized, with the main entrance located at its center. From here, one reaches the living room, followed by the nave that houses all the private spaces of the house in the left wing: three bedrooms, each with a bathroom, walk-in closet, and hallway, as well as a living room, dining room, and kitchen. All the rooms overlook strategic internal and external gardens, optimizing ventilation and natural lighting
In the side patio, dedicated to social activities, a pool, along with vegetation and natural materials, creates a pleasant panorama visible from the main living spaces of the house. This area is adjacent to an outdoor terrace and a bar/grill area. Finally, this space concludes with a fully landscaped private garden, lined with trees and adjacent to the bedrooms, serving as an outdoor playground that is useful at any time of the day
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