Casa Altanera

Venezuelan Architect Alberto Calleja Combines Brutalism and Traditional Mexican Craftsmanship

Venezuelan architect Alberto Calleja created this holiday home in Oaxaca as an encounter with nature, blending a refined modern aesthetic with a raw, unadulterated approach to design.

Set along a pristine stretch of the Pacific, the project is part of Puerto Escondido's burgeoning art and architecture scene as well as a concerted reforestation effort in the region. 

"The process of monitoring the reforestation in the area was established as a natural and primary objective of the project, contributing to the regenerative process in context with the land," says Calleja.

Solid Brutalist forms anchor two identical structures against the landscapes, composed with raw, natural materials and age old craftsmanship techniques. 

Designed to interact with the environment, the open-sided construction features a strong connection with nature through sophisticated yet simple design principles, where the land and sea become part of a dynamic relationship.

Established in connection with a design and reforestation renaissance in the Puerto Escondido region, this holiday home in Oaxaca is set within an exclusive and pristine location in the vibrant art and architecture scene.

Designed by Venezuelan architect Alberto Calleja, the style combines Brutalism and traditional Mexican craftsmanship, resulting in a uniquely modern residence.

The single-family house is contained in three separate volumes, distributed among social areas and two pieces that interact independently, with a master bedroom for two people and four secondary rooms for eight people.

The giant, open-air palapa includes the living  areas, a dining room, and fully equipped kitchen that leads out to the deck and pool, all linked together in a common space with a façade of wooden doors that retract completely, opening out to the sea.

Wooden pathways connect the spaces while further immersing the house into its surroundings.

Around

Located along a remote stretch of Pacific coast, the port town of Puerto Escondido lies at the end of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range just over one hundred miles from the inland capital of Oaxaca. Arranged around a picturesque bay dotted with gigantic rock formations, the area is divided between Bacocho Beach on the north end, the Playa Principal resort area in the middle, and the famous surfing beach of Zicatela on the south end. 

Considered one of the top ten surfing destinations in the world, it’s an action packed atmosphere where at night the town comes to life with parties until dawn. The famous CASA WABI by Pritzker Prize-winning master architect Tadao Ando is a thirty minute drive outside of town where you can tour the house and art center. Be sure to visit the wildlife and mangrove forests of Laguna de Manialtepec just twenty minutes from the house and the ecological reserve and turtle sanctuaries of Ventanilla. Watch for the bio-luminescent tides at night where you can swim among the sparkling waters. 

Location

Oaxaca, Mexico. Nearest airport: Puerto Escondido (25km)

Best time to visit

Winter and Spring for the best weather