Casa TO, an indoor oasis located in Punta Zicatela, Mexico

Located in Punta Zicatela, a destination known as Mexico’s national surf capital, opposite the Punta Zicatela Ecological Community and 15 minutes from Puerto Escondido airport, Casa TO was founded with the mission of crystallizing the first design hospitality experience in the area, with a space that integrates harmoniously into its setting with a combination of striking materiality and total respect for nature.

Its name reflects its contemplative essence, as it emerges from a reflection on the concepts of house and temple, a duality that is summed up in the idea of Casa TO, Templo Oaxaqueño. Its sensory imprint is evident as it fills the senses with green views, natural sounds, and a tranquility that invites undisturbed observation. 

The design hotel offers nine suites with conceptual elegance and an atmosphere of sober simplicity. On the ground floor, there are six suites with separate terraces, while the upper floor is divided into three suites with outdoor bathtubs. The layout of the rooms ensures privacy, making them invisible from the outside.

The project was commissioned from leading architect Ludwig Godefroy, who is known for his work with raw, honest and exposed materials.

The identity of Casa TO is inspired by Islamic architecture, such as Yerebatan Sarayı (Medusa Cistern in Istanbul), and by underground water tanks such as Finsbury Park Reservoir, in London. Both these reference points make use of a grid in two directions that changes radically every 45º and reconfigures itself.

The project originated with Surreal Estate, a developed founded by Gisela Kenigsberg and Daniel Cinta, focused on commissioning projects from both up-and-coming and established architects, with the intention of generating a perimeter of five blocks of interest to visitors to Punta de Zicatela.The portfolio of Surreal Estate specializes in housing with distinctive aesthetic values, increasing the added value of the area and its properties. For the creation of Casa TO, María Infante Biezuner joined the project as cofounder and an integral part of the team.

Casa TO is a project that seeks to combine aesthetics and functionality in harmony with the environment, and have a low impact on the natural world. From the outset, the installation of a water treatment plant was planned, which allows 100% reuse of water for irrigation of green areas. In the second stage, an electrical system adapted to store energy with solar panels will be implemented. Casa TO has a zero plastics policy, which is why filtered water is offered and the use of individual thermos flasks for each guest is encouraged. Plastic that arrives from suppliers or with guests is reused and the use of biodegradable products in bulk is preferred. 

The amenities also have a tangible commitment, with pool and beach towels made from recycled materials. The bath products are of natural origin based on marigold, an ancient plant used by the Mayan and Hindu cultures for its regenerative and therapeutic power. These products from the Mexican brand For All Folks are vegan and free of parabens, minerals and animal cruelty.

The sober simplicity of the interior design, by Daniel Cinta, co-founder of Casa TO, took as its starting point a color palette inspired by the original vegetation on the site. This included a Bismarck palm and an ironwork door in the same shade of green, which led to defining a similar hue for the ironwork, lamps, and other details of the space. 

The fittings and accessories were chosen in brushed stainless steel to blend in with the concrete tones and, in turn, give the glassware and textiles the starring role in a range of yellows, greens and blues. Casa TO aims to convey a sensation of luxury through contact with simple and honest elements. For this reason, the furnishings were selected from the offerings of craftspeople working in different states across Mexico, including Puebla, Guadalajara and Oaxaca, who adapted their designs and color schemes exclusively for the hotel.

The landscaping was conceived to produce a gradual process of appropriation of the architecture by nature, with creepers concealing the concrete from the outside. Inside, a jungle was created with fruit trees such as banana and passion fruit, and plants selected from local nurseries. Led by Gisela Kenigsberg and Daniel Cinta, co-founders of Casa TO, the expectation is that in the medium and long term a feeling will emerge of being in an abandoned ruin, taken over by the lush vegetation that shapes the space.

The decorative elements at Casa TO have been created with an essence that allows them to move into the lives of those who connect with them. These unique pieces are made available to guests to extend the experience of their visit into their homes. Unique objects and designs exclusively for Casa TO can be purchased directly or commissioned to local artisans for reinterpretation. These items include bedspreads by Alfredo Orozco for Taller Textil Experimental; rugs by Beto Ruiz for TallerOcho; lamps by Natural Urbano, pool towels by NuCyCy, whites by Vivenda and bamboo furniture by Tiago Solis Van Beuren for Bamburen.

Photographer: Jaime Navarro