Casa San Carlos
Project Status: In process
Project Year: 2021
Use: Residential
Client: Private
Areas: 1,782.6 m2
Location: Guaymas, Sonora
Context
San Carlos is positioned in Sonora state, located 15 kilometers north of Guaymas city on the coast of the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California. The town's geographic situation places it at the convergence of dramatic natural features—surrounded by mountains and beaches along one of the world's most biologically diverse marine environments.
San Carlos sits 390 kilometers from the United States border and 120 kilometers from Hermosillo, the state capital, providing relative remoteness that preserves natural character while maintaining reasonable access to urban services and international connections. The specific project site encompasses 1,782.6 square meters with topography that provides views toward the Sea of Cortez, offering the fundamental visual amenity that drives much of the area's residential desirability and tourism appeal.
Context
The project objective centers on developing architecture that is friendly and responsible to the environment, recognizing that San Carlos's appeal derives fundamentally from its natural setting and that development must preserve rather than degrade the ecological qualities that attract residents and visitors. This commitment involves integrating sustainable architecture criteria throughout the design process to reduce ecological impact across multiple dimensions including energy consumption, water use, material selection, site disturbance, and habitat preservation. The approach acknowledges that responsible development in sensitive coastal and desert environments requires deliberate strategies that go beyond regulatory minimums to genuinely minimize environmental footprint.
The design leverages the site's natural topography to capture Sea of Cortez views while working with rather than against existing grade, reducing earthwork and site disturbance. Sustainable strategies appropriate to Sonora's desert coastal climate likely include passive solar design for heating and cooling, water conservation measures critical in arid regions, native and drought-tolerant landscaping that eliminates irrigation demands, and material selections emphasizing durability in the harsh desert sun and salt air environment. The integration of these environmental principles with the site's view potential creates architecture that enhances human experience while respecting the ecological context that makes San Carlos distinctive.