FabriKG: Acre

Designed by FabriKG in Los Cabos, Acre was conceived as part of its own environment, with low impact and solar passive designs, using walls as a main insulation factor.

Located at the San Jose’s “arroyo”, close to the Sea of Cortez, Acre is a hidden resort in Baja California Sur surrounded by a landscape of palms and mangos. The site is ten minute away from the city, immersed within old mango orchards and accessible by a dirt road.

The location and the plot area became the main inspirations for the project. The aim was to embrace the site, using it as part of the architectural design, with elements that emerged from the local landscape.

Since the area is hit by the hurricane season, FabriKG decided to raise the whole structure 1.2 m form the ground level, making sure it would be fully protected from floods. The foundation was made with a concrete structure that works as a physical connection to the rammed earth walls.

Finalist at Terra Awards 2016, the building was constructed primarily with earth, through the local rammed-earth tradition and using a light steel structure for the bar and central shade. The walls have been introduced to let natural light in and to visually connect with the surrounding landscape.

The project was conceived to be part of its own environment, with low impact and solar passive systems, walls as a main insulation feature and cross ventilation systems to cool down the interiors. The core of the building is a courtyard that provides a micro weather condition cooling the place with sea breeze flows. The use of rammed earth lattices in some walls allow this natural air flow in combination with the shades provided by the date and coco palms.