Modern Conkal Home Blends Colonial Heritage With Sustainable Design

The original builders of Yucatán’s historic haciendas were onto something. And so a new residence in Conkal is turning heads for its reimagining of Yucatán’s architectural heritage through a contemporary lens.

The 7,535-square-foot house, completed in 2025 by Reyes Ríos + Larraín Arquitectos, draws inspiration from the region’s historic casonas and haciendas while embracing modern sustainability principles. Architects Salvador Reyes Ríos and Josefina Larraín Lagos designed the home for a private residential area in the municipality just north of Mérida.

The design follows a U-shaped layout that creates a central patio, a hallmark of Mexican architecture dating back centuries. This approach reflects what architects call syncretism — the blending of pre-Hispanic and European design traditions that flourished from the 1500s through the 1800s.

The building’s ‘U’ shape features the social areas at the front, as well as the private areas. The configuration places living spaces at the front, bedrooms along the sides, and a carport with service areas tucked into one corner.

At the rear, a social-private pavilion acts as a hinge, completing the enclosure around the open patio. This layout allows breezes to flow freely through the compound — a crucial feature in Yucatán’s tropical climate.

The architects prioritized passive cooling and natural lighting throughout. Cross ventilation reaches every room, reducing reliance on air conditioning and cutting energy costs. The design also creates graduated sight lines that offer varying degrees of privacy while maintaining visual connections across the property.

The home sits on an unusual plot with one rounded edge following the curve of a nearby rotonda. Rather than fight this irregular geometry, the architects incorporated it into the building’s footprint.

Material choices emphasize local sourcing and durability. The team selected Mexican marble, subtropical hardwoods, traditional pasta tiles, and locally produced concrete blocks. These natural materials contrast with industrial aluminum window frames that provide clean, modern lines.

Perhaps the most innovative feature is the exterior finish. The architects developed a custom pigmented mortar in collaboration with Cemex, the global cement company with deep roots in Mexico. This colored stucco eliminates the need for paint, offering a maintenance-free alternative better suited to Yucatán’s harsh sun and seasonal rains.

The region’s hacienda architecture has influenced residential design for generations. Many contemporary homes reference the grand estates built during the henequén boom, when Yucatán supplied much of the world’s rope fiber.

Stirka Constructora served as general contractor for the project. Photography by Onnis Luque captures how the home’s clean volumes and earth-toned surfaces respond to the peninsula’s intense light.

The design team included Andrea Magaña V. and Esteban Mena D., who helped develop details that balance historical references with modern living requirements.

Sustainable architecture in Mexico increasingly looks to traditional building methods that predate mechanical cooling systems. By studying how colonial builders created naturally ventilated spaces, contemporary architects can reduce environmental impact while honoring regional identity.

The Conkal residence demonstrates that looking backward can point the way forward. Its patio-centered plan, locally sourced materials, and passive climate strategies offer a template for building in harmony with both cultural heritage and environmental responsibility.

Project Details

• Location: Conkal, Yucatán
• Architects: Reyes Ríos + Larraín arquitectos
• Completion: 2025 • Size: 700 square meters (7,535 square feet)
• Contractor: Stirka Constructora
• Special materials: Cemex pigmented mortar, Mexican marble, subtropical hardwood, pasta tiles