Hotel Naya Bacalar is situated along the shore of the Bacalar Lagoon in the Mexican Caribbean, a region defined by its dense jungle, limestone terrain, and vibrant aquatic ecosystems. The project positions itself within this context not as an imposition but as a calibrated insertion. The design strategy focuses on facilitating an intimate dialogue with the surrounding landscape, using architecture as a medium to reinterpret ecological immersion through spatial restraint and sensory experience.
Hotel Naya Bacalar Technical Information
- Architects1-5: AM Arquitectura + Grupo Glampers
- Design Concept and Pre-Project: Glampers SAPI de CV + Taller de arquitectura viva
- Location: Bacalar Lagoon, Quintana Roo, Mexico
- Completion Year: 2024
- Photographs: © Onnis Luque
We sought to dissolve the boundaries between architecture and nature, using local craft not just as ornament, but as structure, atmosphere, and memory.
– AM Arquitectura Architects
Hotel Naya Bacalar Photographs
Spatial Organization and Landscape Integration
Conceived as a boutique hotel, the project avoids the grand gestures often associated with resort typologies. Instead, it privileges privacy and disconnection. The design does not rely on formal spectacle but rather employs scale, rhythm, and material tactility to foster a sense of seclusion. This is evident in the placement of its thirteen cabins, which are dispersed among existing trees and set apart by natural visual barriers. The site planning responds to the pre-existing morphology of the terrain and vegetation, prioritizing openness and spatial breathing room over density and efficiency.
The architectural intent extends beyond form and function to incorporate a collaborative and socially grounded construction process. Labor was organized as a cooperative effort, involving local artisans and builders with a deep knowledge of regional materials and vernacular construction techniques. This approach imbues the project with a strong ethical underpinning while reinforcing its material authenticity.
A clear but non-linear progression defines the spatial layout of the project. Programmatic zones are divided into three primary areas: the entrance houses the reception, parking, and service components; the central zone contains the dispersed lodging units; and the back opens toward the lagoon, where a restaurant and communal recreation spaces are located.
Circulation is mediated by a central pathway composed of irregular white gravel cobblestones. Its organically shaped geometry is reminiscent of riverbeds, providing a slow and meandering route that guides guests through the site. This spatial sequencing is not hierarchical but fluid, blurring the boundaries between the interior and exterior, as well as the public and private.
The cabins are positioned among existing tree trunks, respecting natural clearings to avoid unnecessary deforestation. Their equidistant spacing introduces a rhythm that balances solitude with visual coherence. Limestone walls and palisade fences filled with dry grass delineate each cabin’s domain, offering both visual privacy and subtle acoustic buffering.
Toward the lagoon, the terrain undergoes a shift in topography. Here, the architecture adapts by projecting decks over the slope, elevated on slender supports and linked by lightweight bridges. These platforms allow guests to occupy the tree canopy and enjoy uninterrupted views of the water, reinforcing the sensation of immersion in the landscape rather than domination over it.
Material Language and Constructive Logic
An intentional tension exists between the material behavior and formal expression of Hotel Naya Bacalar. The design inverts expectations by using dense, hard materials to create soft, fluid geometries, while soft and organic materials are arranged to form angular and rigid forms. This dialectic animates the entire project and reflects a deeper inquiry into how material choices influence spatial perception.
Stone is used to generate curved walls and flowing partitions, grounding the project in its limestone-rich context. Conversely, dry grasses and bundled natural fibers are manipulated to produce straight edges and rectilinear planes, as seen in the palisade walls and roof soffits. These material inversions challenge conventional notions of structural logic, introducing a deliberate ambiguity that invites closer inspection.
Structural elements such as columns made of round logs are arranged in seemingly random configurations, screening views while allowing filtered light to pass through. These verticals rise through thin concrete slabs or palm-thatched roofs, terminating at irregular heights to create a sense of informality and lightness, despite their monumental scale.
The interiors reflect a similar sensibility. The flooring is polished concrete, contrasted by low timber furniture and walls finished in a mix of stucco, wood, and grass. Indirect lighting, often integrated into architectural elements, contributes to a subdued atmosphere. Wooden-framed windows with clear glazing establish a constant visual connection between the bed and the garden, reinforcing the porous boundary between the inside and outside.
Sustainability, Craft, and Architectural Significance
The project’s construction process and material palette embody an ethos of ecological and cultural sustainability. The use of exclusively local materials, combined with on-site fabrication of furniture, lighting, and finishes, aligns the project with traditions of craft-based construction that are increasingly rare in contemporary hospitality architecture.
More than a stylistic gesture, this artisanal approach reinforces the narrative of the architecture. Macramé lamps sway from the ceilings of common areas, casting patterns reminiscent of cotton clouds. Furniture is constructed with visible joinery and honest detailing. These elements do not rely on nostalgia; instead, they assert the value of tactile knowledge and manual skill as drivers of design excellence.
Sustainability at Hotel Naya Bacalar is not framed in terms of technological innovation, but rather through embedded practices of minimal intervention, local sourcing, and communal labor. The project abstains from conventional air conditioning systems where possible, relying instead on cross-ventilation and shading strategies derived from vernacular precedents.
Hotel Naya Bacalar Plans
Hotel Naya Bacalar Image Gallery
About AM Arquitectura
AM Arquitectura is a Mexico City architecture studio founded by Alfonso Arias Mtz. The practice engages in architectural design, interior architecture, furniture design, and landscape design, often working with regional building traditions and materials to create context-sensitive, artisanal projects.
Credits and Additional Notes
- Client / Developer: Glampers SAPI de CV
- Design Team: M. Arch. Alfonso Arias Martínez, Arch. Mauricio Odriozola, Arch. Luis Muñoz
- Executive Design and Construction: M. Arch. Alfonso Arias Martínez, Fredy Aban
- Landscape Design: M. Arch. Alfonso Arias Martínez
- Total Number of Cabins: 13
