Project Info
Project Name: Santa María del Oro Residence
Location: Nayarit, Mexico
Architects: MCxA
Construction: Taller A
In the lush landscapes of Nayarit, Mexico, MCxA Group has completed the Santa María del Oro Residence - a project where architecture bends, frames, and adapts to its environment rather than competing with it. At the heart of the design lies a bold gesture: circular voids carved into the structure to preserve five ancestral trees, allowing them to pierce through walls, courtyards, and terraces. These trees, long-standing guardians of the land, transform the home into a living dialogue between architecture and nature.
Architecture and ecology converge - the home sits lightly within its lush, sloping terrain
Rooted in Place, Designed for the Future
MCxA’s design ethos centers on environmental sensitivity and community respect. Instead of erasing the site, the architects embraced its steep slope and rugged terrain, integrating the building seamlessly into the volcanic landscape. Local stone replaced concrete and masonry as the primary material, reducing carbon emissions while ensuring the structure ages in harmony with its surroundings. Recycled wood from construction formwork was transformed into custom furniture, layering sustainability with storytelling.
Ancestral trees pierce through courtyards, transforming them into living landmarks within the home
The residence further minimizes environmental impact with green roofs, rainwater harvesting, and a biodigester system that treats wastewater before reentering the ecosystem. Energy efficiency is embedded throughout - from LED lighting to passive cross-ventilation - while future plans for solar panels on an adjacent plot aim to capture Nayarit’s abundant sunlight.
Open social spaces flow seamlessly toward terraces, framing views of the volcanic lake
Living Between Courtyards and Trees
The spatial layout is a careful balance of shelter, openness, and natural immersion. Three bedrooms, a central social core, and a terrace with a circular pool orient themselves toward the nearby volcanic lake. Between these volumes, interior courtyards embrace the preserved trees, drawing natural light into the home and creating organic pockets of shade and ventilation.
Native tropical plants fill the courtyards and terraces, strengthening the home’s connection to the region’s ecosystem. Inside, earthy brown and beige finishes evoke the tones of Mexican soil and tradition, grounding contemporary design in cultural memory.
Locally sourced volcanic stone and recycled wood furniture bring a tactile, sustainable character indoors
Native plants fill the courtyards, linking domestic life with the rhythms of the surrounding ecosystem
A Staircase as Sculpture
Perhaps the residence’s most striking man-made feature is its 20-meter cylindrical staircase, composed of prefabricated concrete modules. More than an access route, it is an architectural statement that channels rainwater through permeable joints while offering visitors a ceremonial procession into the site. Like the voids that honor the trees, the staircase underscores the home’s philosophy: every structural element must serve both function and environment.
Santa María del Oro residence redefines the weekend home as an eco-conscious retreat deeply rooted in place
Where Architecture and Ecology Coexist
The Santa María del Oro residence is not a monument imposed upon nature - it is a retreat that yields, adapts, and coexists. By integrating ancestral trees into its very form, employing local and recycled materials, and embedding ecological systems at every scale, MCxA Group has created a model of eco-conscious architecture for Mexico and beyond.
In this home, life flows in circles: between tree and courtyard, between lake and terrace, between human and landscape. More than a weekend escape, it is a lesson in how architecture can act as a steward of place - respectful, regenerative, and deeply rooted in the rhythms of nature.
Photo Credit: Brenda Islas, Rafael Gamo
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