Tag Archives: design

Huatulco

Gustave Eiffel and the French Influence on Mexican Engineering and Architecture

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By Julie Etra

The French engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel’s work is often associated with several structures in Mexico. Although his family was of German ancestry, he was born in Dijon, France, in 1832. He lived a long, productive, and creative life (he died in December 1923).

His work in Mexico corresponded with the Porfiriato (1876–1911), the 35-year period in Mexican history when Porfirio Díaz dominated Mexican political life and, in the later years, refused to relinquish power, leading to the Mexican Revolution. On the positive side, Díaz was known for his efforts to modernize Mexico through infrastructure projects, particularly the railroad system, and for encouraging foreign investment and European influence in architecture and engineering.

Eiffel’s Skills
Although Eiffel never set foot in Mexico, several structures in the country have been attributed to his designs or influence during the late nineteenth century. These include a church, a kiosk, and a bridge.

(For reference, the iconic Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889, and the Statue of Liberty, to whose structural design he contributed, was disassembled in France before being shipped to the United States. The statue was completed and dedicated on October 28, 1886.)

Eiffel specialized in iron construction that could be manufactured in France, disassembled, shipped, and easily reassembled on site, a technique he exported to several countries in addition to Mexico. As an engineer who understood wind loads, he was selected to design numerous projects where this was an issue.

The Church of Santa Bárbara
Santa Rosalía, Baja California Sur, on the Sea of Cortez. The town was founded by the French mining company Compagnie du Boleo after copper deposits were discovered in the region in the nineteenth century. In the 1880s, the government of Porfirio Díaz granted the company permission to develop the mine, and the town grew around the mining operation.

The church was designed by Eiffel in 1884 and built in 1887. It was later exhibited at the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris. The prefabricated metal structure was later acquired by the Boleo Mining Company. The company determined that a church was essential for the new town.

Disassembled, it was shipped by sea to Baja California Sur and assembled in Santa Rosalía in the 1890s. The galvanized iron church was designed to withstand severe weather and extreme climates. It was built entirely of stamped metal sheets mounted on a steel frame and has a simple, practical architectural design.

It was later modified, and several of its original stained-glass windows were removed. Today it retains much of the original design.

Edificio Municipal Santa Rosalía
(Municipal Building of Santa Rosalía)
Some sources incorrectly attribute the design to Eiffel. This building is a wooden structure influenced by French architectural styles from the late nineteenth century and features two stories with a sheet-metal roof.

El Palacio de Hierro de Orizaba, Veracruz
(Iron Palace, Orizaba, State of Veracruz)
This iron palace served as the seat of the government for the Municipality of Orizaba, a city in the western part of Veracruz and an important cultural center during the Porfiriato.

The building is often attributed to Gustave Eiffel, although some sources suggest it may have been designed by the Belgian engineer Joseph Danly. It was designed in 1891, disassembled, and the 600-ton building kit, along with the pieces and instructions for its assembly, was shipped across the Atlantic to the port of Veracruz. The kit was then transported by rail to Orizaba.

The engineering considered the climate of the region and incorporated drainage system details, including downpipes essential for the rainy season that also function as structural support columns. The site work, including the excavation for the building, was completed prior to its arrival.

Like the church, the design consisted of metal sheets, in this case two sheet plates with space in between to help dissipate heat. Today the building houses several museums, including the brewery museum; the brewery was established in the late 1890s when the railroad delivered the essential ingredients.
It took two years to assemble, from 1892 to 1894.

Cuernavaca Kiosko (Kiosk)
This kiosk is located in the Plaza de Armas, the central square of Cuernavaca. It was brought from Europe, possibly from Glasgow, Scotland, by order of the then-governor Jesús H. Preciado in 1888.

Once the structure arrived in Mexico from Europe, it was transported to Cuernavaca on mule trains. Some references indicate that the kiosk was brought from the city of Glasgow, Scotland, at the time one of the most renowned foundry centers for the manufacture of ships, engines, and trains.

Although definitely of European origin, its designer has been the subject of debate, and it is unlikely that it was designed by Eiffel. The architectural style is Indo-Saracenic (also known as Indo-Gothic, Mughal-Gothic, or Neo-Mughal), a style mostly used by British architects in India in the late nineteenth century. The decorative details on the building reflect this style.

El Puente de Fierro
This is a steel bridge located in the municipality of San Cristóbal Ecatepec, in the Mexico City metropolitan area. It is sometimes attributed to Gustave Eiffel, although the exact origins of the structure remain uncertain.

The impressive iron structure reaches a height of about 15 meters and weighs approximately 90 tons. Originally associated with a railway line between Mexico City and Veracruz, the bridge later fell into disuse as this section of rail was abandoned with the expanding urban center.

The structure was later restored and is now known as the Bridge of Art, functioning as a cultural center and community arts space that hosts workshops, courses, and artistic performances.

 

Huatulco

María Mayoral: A Lineage in Thread

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By Bianca Corona—

There is a pace to the coast that does not translate in cities. It is slower, but never lazy. It is intentional. The light moves differently here, and the wind carries salt and sound in a way that makes you stop without realizing you have stopped. Even the fabric you wear asks you to release anything heavy and choose something that breathes. When I first sat down with María, this was the feeling that met me before she even spoke. A quiet, grounding presence. Not shy. Just someone whose voice comes from a deeper place, the kind of place most people forget to visit once they leave the coast.

Born in Pochutla, a town 45 minutes from Huatulco, Maria’s family came to the coast decades ago, long before tourism reshaped the shoreline. They arrived to work. Work that demanded patience. Work taught by hands rather than classrooms. Work that held their identity in cotton and color.

“We practically lived in the hotel,” she told me, remembering the Sheraton before it became the Barceló. She described the smell of sunscreen mixing with thread, the sound of tourists moving in and out, the constant presence of sand under her feet. Childhood for her was not divided into playtime and work. It was one space. One long rhythm set by the loom.

Her mother wove. Her father wove. And slowly, María learned too. First watching. Then assisting. Then creating. She began weaving at 12, sewing at 15. Not because someone told her to. But because the rhythm of the loom teaches by itself if you sit close enough. Press, release. Press, release. A heartbeat made audible.

But lineage is rarely a straight line. It bends. It tests. It takes you away from home so you can return with a different perspective. María left the coast to study International Design in Puebla. She wanted to understand fashion in a broader sense. “Where I studied, the approach was very artistic,” she said. “It gave me a wider range of what fashion could be.” She liked that contrast. Traditional weaving in one palm, modern design in the other. She could feel how they might meet without contradicting each other.

After graduating, she tried to stay in the city. Everyone always told her to go big or go home. To prove yourself in a larger place. To move fast. To produce more. She tried to believe it, but her heart disagreed. “I couldn’t keep up with that life,” she said. “I missed breathing.” So, she returned to Huatulco. Back to the coastline. Back to the thread.

I then asked, “What stories would you say are figuratively woven into your pieces?” She shared, the first thing to come to her mind was when her mother began losing her vision. The woman who once guided every stitch, whose presence was the essence of their workspace, slowly entered a world without images. María told this part of the story without dramatizing it. She simply explained how the workshop changed, and how she changed with it. She started weaving differently, adding dimensions that her mother could feel with her fingertips. Texture became language. Color became memory. Craft became closeness. “I changed the way I weave so she could still be part of it,” she said. Her tone held no sadness. Just devotion. A very soft but very steady kind of love.

But life never teaches one lesson at a time. While she was caring, adapting, holding her craft close, another part of her self-development broke. A brand she previously helped build was taken from her. Her designs, her work, her name. “They robbed the brand from me,” she said. And around the same time, projects she depended on slowly unraveled. Her income disappeared. Her confidence wavered. She took a job as a waitress. Long shifts. Late nights. A kind of exhaustion that demands all of you. She worried that maybe she had stepped into a life that would not offer anything beyond survival. Meanwhile her family encouraged her to come back to the workshop and begin her own brand from scratch. She was resistant at first. Pain makes us hesitate. Starting over feels heavier when the loss is still fresh.

She laughs when she talks about this now. Not because it is funny, but because distance gives shape to things. She says it taught her something very clearly. “I realized I couldn’t let go of what I love just because someone else was dishonest or because things did not work out the first time.” So, she returned to the loom. And from that return, her brand took its true name, María Mayoral. Not born from inspiration or timing or trend. Born from refusal. A refusal to shrink. A refusal to disappear.

And now, when she talks about her work, she does not speak like someone trying to sell you something. There is no presentation. She speaks from inside the process itself. “When someone wears my pieces, I want them to feel something. To feel astonished at themselves,” she said. Not astonished as in spectacle. Astonished by the soulful care webbed through the fabric. Astonished as in remembering something ancient in the body. Something warm. Something that feels like home even if you are far from it.

Because here, in Huatulco, clothes are not stiff. The heat demands breath and softness. The ocean demands movement. Cotton is not an aesthetic choice. It is the only fabric that lives well with the climate. Nature decides. The land chooses the material. The coastline decides the palette. Her colors shift with seasons and tides. The marigold dye that blooms today will not bloom the same next year. Rain changes the tone. Soil changes the shade. Emotion changes the hand. Nothing repeats. Not because she refuses repetition, but because the land does not repeat itself.

Her atelier holds eight looms of varying sizes. The sound inside is steady and meditative.

And when you watch a piece being made, you understand instantly why a garment created in this space cannot be compared to anything made in a factory. “The piece that took me the longest took three months,” she said. Three months of touch and patience and presence. Machines can imitate the pattern but not the weight of meaning. Not the warmth. Not the life. Visitors who spend time in the workshop leave with reverence because they see what cannot be massed produced… time.

Her first collection, the one that gave real shape to the brand, was inspired directly by the ocean. Not as metaphor. As literal memory. Textures that mirrored tide lines. Movement that echoed waves. Only six pieces. They sold out in two weeks. It was the beginning that confirmed everything she believed. Her next collection draws from Tangolunda and the memory of the old Camino Real. The coastline there holds a specific glow. The sand is filled with tiny spiral shaped shells. She will bring those spirals into her designs. Not traced. Remembered.

María also collaborates with families of embroiderers in the Valley. Women who carry techniques older than any written history. She respects the knowledge they hold. She asks before using something with ancestral meaning. She learns the symbols. She refuses the imitation culture that has taken root in Oaxaca’s markets. There are stitches she keeps hidden. Marks meant only for the women who will wear her pieces close to their skin. “Something just for them,” she said. A private language made of thread.

When I asked María where she sees the future of her brand, her answer surprised me. Her dream is not global exposure. It is continuity. She wants to create her first runway in Oaxaca and take her mother with her. She wants the community to rise alongside the brand. “First Mexico,” she said. “And when Mexico knows us, then the world.”

This is not a comeback story. It is a return. A realignment. A remembering of who she has always been. Her pieces are not garments. They are memory held in cotton. They are lineage moving forward. They are devotion stitched into form. They are a daughter refusing to let love, or craft, or identity be dimmed.

These pieces are woven time.

Contact for designs WhatsApp: + 52 958 587 8556
Instagram: @mmariamayoral

Photo: Elias Cruz

San Miguel de Allende

The Story of San Miguel Shoes

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By Ximena Collado—

Walking through the cobbled streets of San Miguel de Allende, it’s easy to believe that memory has a sound—the soft percussion of footsteps on stone, the hum of voices carried by warm air, the slow rhythm of a town that still takes its time. Somewhere in that rhythm lives the story of Don Santiago and Martha, two dreamers whose love gave life to San Miguel Shoes. For them, every pair was more than footwear—it was affection made tangible, a way of stitching home and heart into something you could carry wherever you went.

More than twenty years ago, Don Santiago arrived from León, a shoemaker in search of a new beginning. He found it in San Miguel de Allende, its light, its color, and the woman who would become his lifelong companion, Martha. Together, they imagined shoes that would accompany people through their days – comfortable, enduring, and made with care. The first sandal he crafted for her wasn’t just built to withstand the uneven stones of the city; it became a symbol of their life together – steady, resilient, and full of quiet devotion. Their dream soon grew into a small workshop where every design was shaped with patience and purpose. Each pair was meant to last—to travel through years and stories, just as Santiago and Martha did, side by side.

That same spirit still guides San Miguel Shoes today. Now led by their children, the brand has evolved without losing its soul. The workshop hums with the rhythm of more than fifty artisans, most of them women, whose skill and dedication have turned comfort into an art. From the start, sustainability wasn’t a slogan—it was instinct. Every process is designed to minimize waste, every material chosen for comfort, flexibility, and responsibility.

These shoes aren’t made of leather but of soft, adaptive fabrics that move naturally with the foot. Their light yet durable structure provides a sense of ease and stability, offering the kind of comfort that makes each step confident—even across the cobblestones of San Miguel. Women who wear them often describe the same feeling: a secure, effortless stride that carries them through long days without strain or hesitation. The shoes are made not for fleeting trends but for real lives—workdays, travels, and moments in motion.

Created for women of all ages, San Miguel Shoes blend versatility with timeless style. These are shoes made for real life, practical yet elegant, refined yet easy to wear. Every design reflects the brand’s belief that true luxury lies in quality, comfort, and longevity.

Color, too, plays its part, not as fashion, but as expression. Each year, San Miguel Shoes introduces a new palette inspired by the town itself: the soft blush of morning walls, the golden tones of afternoon light, the earthy reds of sunset. For 2026, the collection turns toward teal, blues, and green tones that capture the freshness of water and the calm of shade on a bright day.

Beyond their beauty, San Miguel Shoes sustains a community. The brand provides dignified work, preserves ancestral techniques, and empowers women who have become masters of their craft. Each pair is unique, an imprint of many hands, shaped by patience and pride. And at the heart of it all remains the story of Don Santiago and Martha. Both passed away during the pandemic, only a month apart. Those who knew them say their love was simply too strong to be separated. Their spirit walks on in every shoe, in every step taken by those who wear them.

Today, anyone can take a piece of that story on their own journey. Each pair is a promise, made to last a lifetime, just like the love of Don Santiago and Martha.
http://www.sanmiguelshoes.com.mx

San Miguel de Allende

The History of Fabrica La Aurora

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Rebecca Desiree C. —

Before becoming the center for creativity and culture known locally as La Aurora Centro de Arte y Diseño, La Aurora was once just a simple textile factory. Originally launched in 1902, Fabrica La Aurora operated as a major producer of fine cotton textiles in San Miguel de Allende.

For about nine decades, the factory would go on to provide a source of livelihood to hundreds of locals, but it would later shut down in 1991 due to declining demands for local fabrics and rising production costs.

For more than a decade following its shutdown, the factory lay abandoned until the descendants of its founders chose to put the property up for sale in the early years of the 21st century. This article will share a bit of the history of Fabrica Aurora and its transformation into one of San Miguel de Allende’s most celebrated centers for art, culture, and creative expression.
A Brief History of Old Fabrica La Aurora
Fabrica La Aurora was one of the largest and most important textile factories in central Mexico. According to local accounts, at its height, the factory employed more than 300 people and was a major player in the thread and textile market in Mexico.

The factory remained in business for most of the 20th century, dominating the textile market in central Mexico, spreading its products to the rest of the country. From the end of the 1970s, however, the factory began to face challenges that eventually lead to its gradual decline and closure. Some of these challenges included increased global textile competition, outdated machinery that struggled to keep up with modern production standards, and the economic instability that struck Mexico during the 1980s. The factory would continue to struggle for one more decade before finally closing down in 1991. While definitive archival records are scarce, local histories attribute the closure in 1991 to rising global competition, out-dated machinery and broader economic pressures in Mexico’s textile sector.

Upon the factory’s closure, most of its infrastructure was left in place, the entire facility abandoned. Things would stay this way until, over a decade later, the decision was made to sell the property. This single decision would go on to set the stage for one of the most creative and inspiring transformations in Mexico’s history.

From Abandoned Textile Factory to Hub of Creativity
In many ways, La Aurora’s transformation into one of the biggest cultural centers in San Miguel came as the result of a shared vision and a willingness to do what it takes to make said vision a reality.

The property was put up for sale in the early 2000s. Having been abandoned for over a decade, its machines corroded and its infrastructure in a clear state of disrepair, the sale was not a highly competitive one. However, this would end up working in favour of a small group of artists, designers, and investors, who shared a similar vision for the site’s revival.

For this group, the goal wasn’t to revive the factory to its glory days or even restore its facilities and infrastructure; it was to inspire. By turning this abandoned, local landmark into a cultural center, the group hoped not just to preserve a piece of San Miguel’s history but also to prove that even broken things can be transformed into something new and beautiful.

In 2004, the factory officially reopened, now under new management. Gone were the days of Fabrica La Aurora, the textile factory. In its place stood La Aurora Centro de Arte y Diseño, a haven dedicated to art, culture, and creativity.

La Aurora’s transformation from an abandoned 20th-century textile factory to the 21st-century creative and cultural powerhouse it is today didn’t happen by chance; it was the result of shared vision, determination, and unwavering belief that art could breathe new life into history.

Behind La Aurora’s transformation stand the bold artists and designers who chose to reimagine what was once a relic of industry into a living canvas of creativity. Notable names here include Christopher Fallon, Mary Rapp, Merry Calderoni, and DeWayne Youts, amongst others. Where most people saw heavily deteriorated infrastructure and machinery that had accumulated over a decade’s worth of rust and decay, these men and women saw the chance to build something extraordinary from the remnants of the past.

La Aurora Today — More Than Just a Renovated Factory
Today, the transformation of La Aurora is an inspiring example of cultural regeneration. In just two decades, the formerly abandoned factory had transformed into a creative sanctuary for artists and designers that houses a collection of art and design studios, galleries, and workshops.

Since its reopening the property has gone through a few renovations to fit its new purpose. Halls and corridors that used to house rows of looms and spinning machines now proudly display galleries and studios showcasing paintings, sculptures, furniture, and handcrafted designs from various artists and designers.

In just two decades, La Aurora had successfully reinvented itself. A quick look at the Cultural Center of Art and Design, La Aurora, today, and you’d be hard-pressed to see that century-old factory that was left unattended for over a decade. Instead, what you’d see is a thriving cultural landscape rich with art, design, and imagination; proof that even once-abandoned things can be given new life and made relevant again.

La Aurora Centro de Arte y Diseño is located just north of San Miguel’s historic center and is open to the public year-round, with regular art walks, exhibitions, and cafés within the old factory walls.

Huatulco

Inside ALMA: Craftsmanship, Sustainability, and Signature Design

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In this interview, we speak with Frederic Baron and Noémie Bourdin-Habert, the developers behind ALMA, an architectural project in Huatulco that blends design, sustainability, and community. They share the story behind the name, the philosophy that shaped the residence, and the details that set ALMA apart in Mexico’s coastal real estate landscape.

Where does the name ALMA come from ?

Noemie: ALMA means “soul” in Spanish. We chose it because it captured exactly what we had in mind: to create not just a development, but a community with a soul. A residence with a positive impact and a clear purpose—to promote Mexican modern architecture and sustainability within the real estate development sector and create a unique user experience. It also resonated deeply with a book that transformed both our lives: About the Soul, by Francois Cheng.

What’s the differentiator of ALMA as a residence?

Frederic: I’d say the key differentiator of ALMA is that it was never about simply selling properties. It’s always been about bringing a genuine piece of architecture to the market—crafted by incredible architects down to the smallest detail and set in an extraordinary oceanfront environment—literally surrounded by National Parks. In a word, it’s a place where you want to live, not just invest.

Designed by world-renowned architects José Juan Rivera Río and Modica-Ledezma, each ALMA property carries the qualities you usually only see in magazine homes. In short, ALMA aims to make signature architecture and sustainability the standard, so the end-user experience is elevated. With that in mind, it’s no coincidence that ALMA has recently received several distinctions: shortlisted for its masterplan by one of the most prestigious international architecture competitions, the Architecture Hunter Awards; nominated at the Americas Property Awards in the category of Luxury Project of the Year; and awarded the title of Most Sustainable Project in Mexico at the Americas Property Awards—now advancing to compete for the title of Most Sustainable Project in the Americas.

What inspired ALMA ?

Noemie: A large part of ALMA was inspired by extensive past architectural and hospitality experiences—from museums to hotels, from shacks to palaces. We both love lines, light, shadows, textures, shadow gaps, lush gardens, and generally speaking, unique experiences. We’ve always felt that the level of architecture you see in magazine homes, galleries, or high-end hotels should also exist in residential developments. Yet it rarely does.

Architecture is a major art—the only art we can actually inhabit—and that gives it the power to transform our lives. Think about it: we’ve all felt instantly right or totally off in a place because of its brightness, volumes, materials, warmth, etc. And this is precisely what sparked our desire to create a truly architectural project that elevates our daily lives, not just our holidays.

At the end of the day, ALMA wasn’t born out of ambition but out of our shared commitment towards architecture and sustainability and the desire to achieve it at a price per square meter or square foot that remains completely within market standards.

Interesting! Now, in practice, what can ALMA clients expect in terms of design and finishes?

Frederic : When it comes to design, Charles Eames said it perfectly: “The details are not the details; they make the design.”

At ALMA, the number of details that actually shape the design is endless. I can name just a few that stand out in order to illustrate the level of finishes we offer:

1- Fan-coil air conditioning: Goodbye mini-splits! Of course they work, but it’s no secret that they kill the design. Instead, we use inverter fan-coil units with subtle grids integrated into walls and ceilings. Almost invisible, they perfectly preserve the purity of the architectural lines and consume less energy.

2- Swimming pools: We all love cooling off around these latitudes, but plastic or steel drains often ruin the look. At ALMA, every pool is infinity and integrated into the ground with drains hidden under the travertine floor, creating a true water mirror. Plus, all pools use salt water and overflow tanks.

3- Green roofs: Besides reducing upper-floor temperatures by up to 4°C / 7°F and enhancing pollination, green roofs are beautiful and blend the residence into the native landscape. So instead of seeing concrete and A/C condensers, our upper villas look at the ocean ahead and roof gardens below. A great spot for butterfly-watching!

4- Windows: ALMA’s sliders are fully custom, imported, made of thick tempered glass for safety and slim frames for the design—a rare feature in real estate developments. They’re the type you can open with just a finger, lock properly and that keeps out torrential rains. With views as exceptional as these, this choice made itself obvious. That being said, because of the heavy impact of their cost on profitability, it is very uncommon to see them featured outside of architect designed standalone villas.

5- Built-in appliances: Very common in architect-design properties, built-in fridges, freezers, or other appliances allow to reduce the “centerpiece” effect of appliances and let the design and the views be the protagonists of a room.

6- Toilets: Hanging toilets are already the norm in countries known for hygiene and minimalism, like Japan, Singapore or Sweden, but they’re not common here. At ALMA, all bedrooms feature en-suite bathrooms with minimalist hanging toilets—always behind doors and separate from showers for more privacy.

And in addition to many other indoor and outdoor details, ALMA offers high-level amenities, such as a wellness center, a fully equipped gym, generous common pools, an all-day concierge service, a forest path to a virgin beach, and a beach-hopping shuttle.

Beside the experience ALMA offers, are there other advantages to being part of the community?

Noemie: Absolutely. Several, actually. Since the experience our owners live at ALMA is our main focus, the chances for them to meet like-minded neighbors and build meaningful friendships based on a shared appreciation for architecture and nature are really high. It’s not a coincidence that buyers planning to live in ALMA outnumber pure investors, by far!

Another major advantage is the controlled environment. Many of our owners previously bought in oceanfront neighborhoods only to see them drastically change or become overbuilt. The fact that the National Park has expanded and now fully surrounds ALMA ensures this cannot happen here. Low density—the lowest of any neighborhood in Huatulco—is a secured long-term advantage.

Property appreciation is another key benefit for our owners. Around the world, experience shows that sustainable, award-winning properties designed by renowned architects offer stronger capital gains.

Finally, something our owners repeatedly highlight is our dedication and our accessibility as developers. Being genuinely reachable, being onsite daily, constantly sharing professional construction photos, having lived in the community for over five years, and being part of both the local and expat communities are things that really matter to them. In return, we truly value the relationship we have with each of them, and our conversations—sometimes over casual diners or drinks— have often helped us refine the ALMA experience even further.

For more information:
http://www.alma-huatulco.com

Huatulco

How Puerto Escondido Is Redefining Design Trends: The Evolution of Real Estate

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By Brent May

In recent years, Puerto Escondido has emerged as a rising design destination, captivating investors, architects, art patrons, visitors and design enthusiasts. Nestled on the Oaxaca Coast between the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Puerto Escondido is undergoing a remarkable transformation, showcasing innovative and forward-thinking designs that are redefining the local real estate market and beyond. From sustainable building practices to the integration of natural elements, Puerto Escondido is setting a new standard for architectural excellence. In this article, we will explore the evolution of real estate in Puerto Escondido and how it is influencing design trends.

A Fusion of Tradition and Modernity

One of the defining characteristics of recent real estate projects in Puerto Escondido is the seamless fusion of traditional Mexican architecture, contemporary design elements and local materials. Architects and developers are embracing the rich cultural heritage of Oaxaca and integrating it into their projects. Traditional techniques and materials, such as palapa roofs, handcrafted clay bricks, colorful tiles, and artisanal finishes, are combined with modern design aesthetics to create visually stunning yet low impact and minimalist buildings. This blend has nuanced the overall sense of place and authenticity in the real estate developments of Puerto Escondido.

Sustainable Building Practices

Puerto Escondido is at the forefront of sustainable building practices, with a strong emphasis on environmentally friendly design and construction techniques. Architects and developers are incorporating energy-efficient features, utilizing renewable materials, and implementing innovative water management systems. Buildings are designed to maximize natural ventilation and lighting, reducing the reliance on high energy cooling and lighting systems. Furthermore, sustainable landscaping practices are used, promoting native plant species and water-conserving techniques like gray water recycling and recuperation. These sustainable initiatives not only reduce the environmental impact of the real estate developments but also create healthier and more livable spaces for residents and visitors.

Integration of Natural Elements

The natural surroundings of Puerto Escondido serve as a constant source of inspiration for architects and designers. Real estate developments in the area integrate with the coastal landscapes, tropical vegetation, pristine beaches, and stunning ocean views. Open floor plans, expansive windows, and strategically placed outdoor living areas allow residents to “just be” in the natural beauty of the Oaxaca coast.

Infinity pools, rooftop gardens, and terraces provide uninterrupted views of the Pacific Ocean and create a seamless connection between the built environment and the natural world. The integration of natural elements not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the properties but also creates a sense of tranquility and well-being.

Embracing Minimalism and Contemporary Design

In response to the demand for clean lines and simplicity, contemporary and minimalist design principles have found their place in Puerto Escondido’s real estate landscape. Architects are creating sleek, uncluttered spaces that prioritize functionality and emphasize the use of natural materials. The same minimalist design principles allow for greater airflow. Neutral color palettes, minimalist furnishings, and expansive views contribute to a sense of spaciousness and calmness. This design approach allows residents to focus on the beauty of the surroundings from the comfort of elegant interior spaces.

Living the Mexican Dream

Puerto Escondido is undergoing an important evolution in real estate design, redefining trends and setting new standards for environmental, social and economic sustainability. Through the fusion of tradition and modernity, minimalist and contemporary design, sustainable building practices and the integration of natural elements, this rising design destination is captivating investors, residents and visitors.

Huatulco

Mexico’s Rich Architectural Heritage and Present Global Influence

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By Noémie Bourdin-Habert

It’s probable that most foreigners who decided to live full- or part-time in Huatulco had a crush on Mexico’s unique culture. At least, I did. I loved that its rich history and diverse influences have played a crucial role in shaping its art and design, but little did I know when I first set foot in the country that what is shown of it, back in Europe, is only the tip of the iceberg. And one of the things that I fell in love with is Mexico’s modern architecture.

Exploring Mexico for the first time back in 2020 shed a special light on the country’s architectural diversity encompassing various historical periods – and therefore styles.

Delving into Mexico’s history and evolution revealed a vibrant pre-Hispanic architecture, marked by – now disappeared – vivid color schemes, the utilization of stone and wood, along with geometric and clean lines, as well as a deep connection to nature.

Of course it was also deeply influenced by the contrasting colonial style introduced by the Spanish, more visible today than the pre-Hispanic style. The Mediterranean building type gave birth to central courtyards, ornate decorations, and elements such as arches, domes, fountains, and patterned tiles, all while retaining the use of colored facades.

But an unexpected surprise for me was the influence of the modernist and art-deco movements in Mexico in the 20th century. Perhaps because of a desire to break away from the colonial style, modernist architectural trends from the United States and Europe were received with acclaim in Mexico and brought the use of a minimal style, large roof overhangs, clean lines, glass walls, and a strong emphasis on functionality.

The 20th century, marked by two World Wars and the Mexican revolution, was an era of redefining identity for the country. It gave rise to two contrasting movements, one leaning towards internationalization, and the other one towards exploring the roots of Mexico. Eventually, these blended thanks to a forward-looking mindset combined with true pride in pre-Hispanic history. It led to the development of a distinctive Mexican architectural identity that now exerts a significant influence on the global architectural landscape.

All of this is reflected in contemporary Mexican architecture, visually characterized by pure horizontal lines, the use of local and ancestral materials, but above all, by a deep desire to adapt to regional climates and blend into the landscape.

Characteristics of contemporary architecture in Mexico include :
-Integration of Interior and exterior : a focus on maximizing the use of light, climate and landscapes, often achieved through the use of large windows and the creation of shaded areas.

-Simplicity over ornateness : a preference for clean, geometrical lines over the intricate designs of the colonial architecture and the adoption of a minimalist approach, featuring raw materials like wood, marble, or concrete.
-Emphasis on sustainability and nature : contemporary architecture gave center stage to ecological considerations with a strong emphasis on respecting the local environment, using local and durable materials, and connecting with nature.
But Mexicans being Mexicans, cold minimalism quickly evolved into a warm and welcoming minimalism, thanks to the use of wood, touches of colors, and the invitation of nature in.


As of today, Mexico, Brazil, and Chile are the only Latin American countries whose architects have received the prestigious Pritzker Prize (a.k.a. the “Nobel Prize for architecture”). Of these, Mexican architect Luis Barragán, master of the modernist movement, left an indelible mark on the world of architecture.


While the government, through its federal tourism agency FONATUR, initially introduced a colonial architecture in Huatulco in the 1980s, the resort area began promoting Mexico’s unique contemporary architectural movement around 2010. Award-winning architects are making significant contributions to the “look” of Huatulco – here are eight stunning modern projects.


The new school of Un Nuevo Amanecer (A New Dawn, a nonprofit that Works with children with disabilites) was designed by Manuel Cervantes of Manuel Cervantes Estudio, in collaboration with Angel Garcia (2023, http://www.facebook.com/manuelcervantescc/).


The ALMA development – 36 villas and 10 condos – located between Playas Violin and Organo, was designed by José Juan Rivera Río of JJRR/Arquitectura, in collaboration with Modica-Ledezma (2023, http://www.jjrrarquitectura.com/portafolio/alma/).

The Huatulco Convention Center at Chahue Marina was designed by Enrique Norten of Ten Arquitectos (2022, http://www.ten-arquitectos.com/ccchahue).

The Biulú Condos in Tangolunda were designed by María Alicia Gómez Castañares, who runs her own firm just outside Mexico City (2022, https://biulu.mx/). Gómez was a cofounder and designed the Yeé lo Beé Mariposaro (butterfly farm) in Jabalina, just north of Huatulco on Route 200. The Mariposarium is currently closed; Gómez is working on designs for residences on the property.


Montecito Beach Village, developed over the last decade or so, was designed by renowned architect Diego Villaseñor. It lies high above Playa La Bocana, on the eastern península that forms Bahía Conejos (www.dva.com.mx/#/montecito/).


FONATUR, the federal agency that set up Huatulco as a resort, commissioned architect Mario Schjetnan of GDU (Grupo de Diseño Urbano) to build the Museum at the Copalita Eco-Archeological Park (2010, gdu.com.mx/proyecto/parque-eco-arqueologico-copalita).
The Civic Center in Copalita contains a kindergarden and primary school, plus a chapel. It was designed by 128 Arquitectura y Diseno Urbano (2010, https://128asc.com/proyectos).


Despite some misconceptions, Mexico has evolved beyond being viewed as an extension of the United States by upper North Americans or a colony of Europe by Europeans. Instead, it has harnessed its diverse influences to forge a distinct identity rooted in its rich history and vibrant present. Mexico’s design culture is now celebrated globally, with artists, architects, designers, actors, painters, and other creative minds achieving international recognition.

Huatulco

Indigenous Fashion Meets Modern World

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By Brooke O’Connor

Clothes mean nothing until someone lives in them.
— Marc Jacobs

How we dress is an identifier. We signal to others our status, our preferences, and our priorities. We find it endearing when a multimillionaire wears “normal” clothes, and we see middle-class people going into debt for designer wares. Yet something interesting is happening in the fashion world, and it has everything to do with identities changing, bringing out an emphasis on pride in our roots.

High Fashion in a Traditional World

One designer at the forefront of this movement is Carla Fernández. Just last October, she received the first annual Designer of the Year award for fashion from Latin American Design (LAD), the promotional organization for creative design in Latin America. LAD held a Fashion Week in Washington, DC, to present the awards; Fernández gave one of two Design Talks, “Fashion as Resistance: A Conversation with Carla Fernández.”

The Carla Fernández Casa de Moda (Fashion House), founded in Mexico City in 2000, focuses on preserving and rejuvenating the rich textile traditions of indigenous and mestizo communities in Mexico. She operates a “sister” business, a mobile studio called Taller Flora, A.C. (Flora’s Workshop, nonprofit – http://www.tallerflora.org/), with the motto “The Future is Hand-Made.”

The partnership demonstrates that ethical fashion can be cutting-edge, creative, and forward-thinking, while still incorporating painstaking artisanal techniques and traditional design. By acting as a catalyst for transformation in the world of luxury fashion, Carla Fernández is actively supporting the preservation of ancient indigenous methods and the individuals who safeguard this invaluable heritage. You can look at or purchase her designs at http://www.carlafernandez.com.

The Traditional Huipil in the Modern World

The huipil is an excellent example of fashion coming full circle for daily wear. Derived from the Nahuatl word huīpīlli, it is popular traditional attire worn by native women in Mexico and some regions of Central America. These cap-sleeve blouses, which are roomy and comfortable, are typically crafted by stitching together two or three rectangular fabric pieces, leaving openings for the head and arms. They may also feature ribbons or fabric strips or embroidery.

Huipiles come in various designs, some of which are intricate and hold significant meaning. The dressiest huipiles are worn at velas, days-long fiestas that celebrate culture and tradition, most prominently in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

The style of a huipil can indicate the wearer’s social class and ethnicity; in addition, methods of design and decoration creation within each community can also be conveyed through the huipiles, providing insight into the wearer’s locality.

The huipil, commonly worn in this tropical climate, is usually lined with cotton to ensure comfort. Back in the early twentieth century, fabrics for huipiles were manufactured in Manchester, England, and then exported to the Isthmus as sewing machines became more prevalent; machine-made patterns with chain-stitching gained popularity, complementing the traditional hand embroidery work.

The evolution of fashion has been shaped by macro socioeconomic trends, including capitalism, rising consumption, and shifting interpretations of national symbols. Huipiles have changed style and importance as their makers have incorporated traditional indigenous patterns into contemporary fashion.

The huipil’s evolving designs tell a story of cultural exchange between indigenous traditions and Western modernity. In the classic Mayan period (300-850 CD), weavers created translucent, white-on-white fabric for huipiles, which was used until the modesty requirements of the Porfirian era dictated a change to opaque muslin; up until then, women wore slender wrap skirts – these were replaced with wider skirts worn over multiple petticoats.

The huipiles and skirts represented different social classes. Women with limited economic resources usually wore plain huipiles, kept the wrap-around skirts, and braided ribbons into their hair. Women of higher social status wore clothes with ruffles, lace collars, gold fringes, and silk scarves. Indeed, you couldn’t be admitted to many public fiestas unless your dress was deemed suitable for a gala.

Traditional Traje – A Modern Choice

Today, we see a resurgence of Latinas choosing traditional clothing over fast fashion and homogenized looks. Mexican women, for example, proudly wear their indigenous attire in everyday life and on important occasions. Latinas in the USA are no different; they have embraced this fashion trend. Some people wear indigenous clothes as a fashion statement, while others wear them to embrace their mixed heritage as mestizas. Some see it as a powerful way to reconnect with their indigenous roots and challenge colonial beauty and cultural norms.

This shift in attitude toward indigenous textiles, dresses, and shirts marks a significant departure from previous generations, who considered them outdated, unfashionable, and an invitation to discrimination. Mexican-Americans who came of age before the 1970s were discouraged from speaking Spanish or showcasing their cultural background. Families made efforts to blend into white American society, and educational institutions and cultural establishments reinforced this by advocating for the use of only one language. Countless Mexican-Americans faced discrimination, both in the past and even today, especially when speaking Spanish or embracing their traditional attire.

The concept of Mexican clothing has been evolving and adapting to the younger generations. Anyone can pair a simple blouse with intricate flower embroidery and jeans instead of a traditional skirt. The new fabrics are less fussy and can be washed in a machine instead of by hand.

Latinas increasingly recognize indigenous communities’ rich diversity and appreciate their unique creativity. Each design and stitch holds a special meaning for every community, highlighting the importance of cultural representation.

What You Wear – Is It “Cultural Appropriation”?

The Oxford Dictionary defines appropriation as “the action of taking something for one’s own use, typically without the owner’s permission.” Does that mean you shouldn’t buy Mexican-style clothing?

Purchasing and wearing clothes made by local artisans sends money into the community and into the hands of the people produce the clothing. Take advantage of the opportunity to purchase handmade, sustainably-produced, items that will last many years and never go out of fashion.

Huatulco

Appropriation, Appreciation, Inspiration: The Taking of Mexican Fashion

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By Deborah Van Hoewyk

On Thursday, October 20, 2022, author and Mexican First Lady Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller Instagrammed American designer Ralph Lauren:

Hey, Ralph, we already knew that you’re a big fan of Mexican designs, above all those that work with our ancestral cultures to preserve textile traditions. However, by copying these designs you commit plagiarism, and as you know, plagiarism is illegal and immoral. At least acknowledge it. And I hope you compensate the damage to the native communities that do this work with love and not for million-dollar profits.

Gutiérrez was calling out Lauren for his use of Mexican serape fabric in a cardigan-style jacket in his current line of clothing; she mentioned specifically the weavers from Contla de Juan Cuamatzi in Jalisco and Saltillo in Coahuila as the “authors” of the textile design of the cardigan.

This was not the first time, either. Ralph Lauren has made a mint by refining the looks of the New England preppie, early-Hollywood glamour, and the rough-and-rustic American West. It was hardly a skip or a jump when his collection for Spring/Summer 2013 was described, by The New York Times, as showing there was “no doubt Ralph Lauren was down Mexico way.” Lauren again showed serapes in his Fall 2014 collection, when he added a Polo Ralph Lauren collection for women that included a Mexican-patterned maxi dress and a serape-fabric jacket.

Cultural Appropriation

Gutiérrez clearly sees Lauren’s use of the serape fabric as cultural appropriation. She identifies his work as plagiarism, i.e., an exact copy, and asserts that it has damaged the indigenous communities, whose work is a labor of love that preserves ancient traditions, because Lauren did not acknowledge or compensate them. Lauren no doubt considered it cultural appreciation – if he considered it at all.

A repeat offender like Lauren, Marant included a cape clearly taken from the Purépecha of Michoacán in her 2020-21 Etoile collection. Alejandra Frausto Guerrero, the Mexican Minister of Culture, sought an explanation:

Some symbols [on the cape] that you took have a profound meaning for this culture. These symbols are very old and have been conserved thanks to the memory of the artisans. I ask you, Ms. Isabel Marant, to publicly explain on what grounds you privatize a collective property … and how its use benefits the creator communities.

In 2021, Frausto Guerrero accused several other fashion brands of wrongly appropriating designs from three Oaxacan towns. US-based Anthropologie took embroidery patterns representing the sun, the mountains, and the maguey cactus preserved by the Mixe of Santa María Tlahuitoltepec, and slapped them on fringe-edged shorts no Mexican woman would ever wear. The Spanish retailer Zara made a light green dress with dark green embroidery patterns unique to the Mixtec weaving cooperatives of San Juan Colorado. Internet-based retailer Patowl was selling blouses with elaborate embroidery characteristic of the Zapotec community in San Antonio Castilla Velasco.

Protecting All Cultural Expression

These events foregrounded the need for legal protection of Mexico’s indigenous cultural heritage from the “plagiarism” of appropriation. According to Andrea Bonifaz of the social justice organization Impacto Social Metropolitan Group, which defends the rights of traditional artisanal communities against cultural appropriation, the underlying problem is that “ancestral expressions, like the serape, are collective.” Laws protecting patrimony cover individuals, not communities. “Who or what the community is,” and therefore who can bring suit, is never defined.

However, some progress has been made. In 2020, following the Herrera resort-wear confrontation, Mexico changed the federal copyright law to specify that native communities – if the community has taken the steps to organize as a collective – own the intellectual property rights to craftwork that expresses cultural and local popular tradition. As owners of their work, they can oppose unauthorized use, even when that use altered the original design. In 2021, the Mexican senate passed a federal law that established penalties for taking – by reproducing, copying, imitating, or otherwise appropriating without prior and proper authorization – the designs that represent indigenous cultural heritage, including that of Afro-Mexicans.

These legislative changes set up a legal framework and a registry to recognize cultural expressions, identify the owners of those expressions, and establish the protocols for owners to authorize any permitted use. Mexico’s Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI, manages patents and trademarks) and the Copyright Office (INDAUTOR) give classes for indigenous communities and individual artisans on intellectual property, explaining how to protect their rights to their work. They also give discounts to the artisans or collectives for registering ownership of their work.

From Appropriation to Appreciation

Is it ever okay to use the cultural assets of another people? Vogue India, prompted by Sarah Jessica Parker’s costume in the “Diwali” episode of And Just Like That, asks “How do you know if you are co-opting cultural connotations or innocuously borrowing an aesthetic?”

It’s a longstanding debate, but the answer, actually, is yes, you can appreciate rather than appropriate (see Brooke O’Connor’s article on page 26). Vogue India came up with a rather narrow answer – you have to avoid “demeaning” the culture from which you have taken something. This is a backward way of saying you have to respect, to recognize, to acknowledge the culture that produced it. Vogue India quotes Kelvin Gonclaves, owner of Elkel, an “avante-garde” boutique in the Soho neighborhood in New York City:

If your action disrespects the original idea because of cultural, religious or other customs, then you’ve gone too far. If you claim it as yours without giving credit, you’ve definitely gone too far. There are a few things that should never be done like blackface or dreadlocks on a white person. With taste and acknowledgement, though, most things can be done.

Gonclaves thinks that all art, fashion included, “borrows inspiration from other cultures [to create] new and wonderful things.”

The Gray Area of Inspiration

The designers Mexico has accused of cultural appropriation have said their work is “inspired” by Mexican “ideas.” That may well be so, but it doesn’t determine whether or not they have created something “new and wonderful.”

Take a look at a sweatshirt recently stocked at both Nordstrom and Gonclaves’ boutique:

Billed as a “Gender Inclusive Keith Haring Witches Print Cotton Blend Sweatshirt,” it’s sold out at Nordstrom. According to Nordstrom, the sweatshirt and matching sweatpants were “produced in collaboration with the Keith Haring Foundation” and “creatively showcases the late artist’s iconic designs.” There is no mention that Haring produced the designs forty years ago, or that they were inspired by ancient Mexican hieroglyphic writings and low-relief sculptures.

Keith Haring (1958-90) was a New York “street artist” whose early work, inspired by the graffiti subculture of the early 1980s, was considered pop art, and Haring was very much a part of the pop art scene. In 1982, he was approached by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, who were very much a part of the same scene in England, to prepare designs on the theme of “Witches” for one of McLaren’s albums (Duck Rock) and McLaren/Westwood’s fashion line. By 1983, Haring had produced the Witches series of drawings, but never credited any specific Mexican sources.

Haring was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987; he set up the Keith Haring Foundation to preserve and promote his work, and to raise funds for those affected by AIDS. The Foundation licensed the sweatshirt and pants as a fundraising activity. It can easily be argued that the Witches sweatsuit is “inspired” by Mesoamerican designs, that Keith Haring did not “appropriate” any specific work, and that he created something “new and wonderful.” But a little mention of how he came to use his Mexican inspiration might have been nice.