House in the Jungle Created by CoA Arquitectura Architects

House Between Jungles and the Sea

Just 100 meters from the coastline of the Pacific Ocean in Mexico, the Casa Higueras house by CoA Arquitectura is more than just a home—it's a dwelling deeply woven into the dense jungle structure. Designed for a family of four and frequent guests, this project balances privacy and openness, creating a sanctuary that incorporates the fig trees dominating the site. Their trunks, roots, and canopies not only shape the design but also provide natural protection from the outside world.

Privacy Through Placement

Instead of occupying a central position on the plot, architects strategically placed the house at the back of the site, using the natural vegetation in front as a privacy barrier. A gravel path leads from the street and garage to the shaded palapa, the informal social area of the house. From here, residents transition into enclosed daytime zones, blurring the boundary between outdoor life and cozy interiors.

Fragmented Layout Around Nature

The fragmented layout of the house is a direct response to the geometry of the plot and the desire to preserve existing vegetation. By bending the plan around fig trees and natural openings, the design maximizes views while protecting interiors from neighbors. On the first floor, verandas extend from internal spaces, acting as protective thresholds that shield from sun and rain, while connecting the main house to guest areas.

Color Palette: Concrete and Parota Wood

The architecture combines robust yet refined elements. Polished concrete walls and columns reinforce the structure, forming large wooden windows and supporting a rough monolithic upper volume. This textural contrast continues inside, where parota wood furniture contrasts with light plastered walls. The interplay of materials enhances brightness—especially important in a place where dense jungle cover creates deep, constant shade.

Openings on the Upper Floor and Jungle Views

On the upper floor, each bedroom directly interacts with the landscape. Carefully placed openings in the volume create balconies, outdoor showers, and window niches, welcoming natural light and fresh air while offering striking views of the surrounding fig trees and green jungles.

Seamless Retreat in the Jungle

By integrating existing trees, topography, and site vegetation, Casa Higueras achieves a balance between privacy, openness, and environmental respect. It is simultaneously a coastal sanctuary and a jungle shrine where architecture does not dominate the landscape but grows from it.

Thanks to its fragmented layout, integration of fig trees, and sensitive use of materials, CoA Arquitectura created a home that reflects both contemporary design values of Mexico and the timeless tranquility of the Chacala tropical environment.

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