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Hugging the Pacific coast in Mexico’s Oaxaca region, Ambrosi Etchegaray’s Casa Volta is a vacation retreat designed to take advantage of the the area’s good weather. Visitors reach the house via a path that cuts through the dense forest towards the water. When they arrive, they’re greeted by three rectangular brick buildings clustered around a long, narrow pond.
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The three rooftops of the villa pop out of the forest with arched vaulted ceilings that are clad in bricks and reed latticework. The designers explain that these two materials together simultaneously keep the house warm during cooler moments (thank you brick) and cool during the more common hot weather (looking at you reed latticework).
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The main structures are split into two bedrooms—each bedroom gets its own vaulted box that’s encased in brick and reed lattice and they open out onto private patios. This being Mexico, the main living areas where people hang out are open-air. The kitchen is hidden under an open-air vault, while tables and lounge chairs get their own terrace areas, making the entire villa feel like one big patio.
As it happens, Casa Volta is available for rent on Airbnb, where you can book a stay for $200 a night.
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