Manantial House by APALOOSA Architects: Affordable and Sustainable Housing in Chiapas

Sustainable Prototype for Affordable Housing

In Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, APALOOSA Architects designed the Manantial House, a compact single-story home of 1280 square feet that combines affordability and sustainability. Built on a 10 x 20 meter lot, the house accommodates three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, service yard, and garage—all organized around a central inner courtyard, which serves as the heart of the home.

The project is not only an innovation in budget housing construction, but also a design solution. With limited client resources, the architects created a fast, efficient, and low-tech construction strategy, turning financial constraints into opportunities for architectural experimentation.

Design Based on Light, Air, and Courtyard Living

The central inner courtyard is more than just a garden—it functions as the home's climate engine, absorbing and distributing airflow and natural light throughout all rooms. Each room is visually and spatially connected to this corridor-garden zone, creating a microclimate that enhances comfort and reduces dependence on artificial systems.

This spatial strategy follows a proven principle: palatial homes create their own ecosystems. Even within the constraints of a narrow lot, architects transformed this into an opportunity for designing well-lit and naturally ventilated housing.

Structural Innovation: Alveolar Blocks and Domotej Roof System

The Manantial House demonstrates material and structural innovation through two key elements:

• Alveolar block walls: lightweight, affordable, and thermally efficient blocks also include load-bearing columns, minimizing waste and increasing rigidity.

• Domotej roof system: a patented innovation developed by the Autonomous University of Chiapas, consisting of 1×1 meter concave modules supporting minimally reinforced slabs. These modules integrate polystyrene or PET filler for sound and thermal insulation, relying on double beams and connected to alveolar walls.

This construction system reduces costs, simplifies assembly, and enables DIY building, making it a reproducible model for affordable housing.

Passive and Active Bioclimatic Strategies

Sustainability is built-in through passive and active strategies:

• Passive design: orientation, zoning, and natural cross-ventilation reduce heating and increase comfort.

• Active systems: rainwater harvesting and runoff redirection help manage water resources efficiently.

Together, these measures create a sustainable home, adapting to its environment and reducing operational costs for residents.

Affordable Innovation with Local Identity

Despite modest size and cost, the Manantial House achieves architectural richness through visible construction technologies, local materials, and inventive logistics. By designing every element—from duct planning to block placement—the architects ensured efficiency without sacrificing aesthetics or sustainability.

The result is not only a home tailored to its occupants, but also a prototype for affordable, decent housing in Mexico and beyond.

The Manantial House by APALOOSA Architects proves that architecture can be innovative, affordable, and sustainable at the same time. With its alveolar block walls, Domotej roof system, and courtyard-centered design, the project sets a precedent for self-sufficient housing solutions, rooted in regional identity and bioclimatic intelligence.

In Tuxtla Gutierrez, this modest home stands as a powerful example of how architecture can elevate everyday life by addressing pressing ecological and social challenges.