Concrete houses have, for decades, served as a true laboratory for exploring the relationship between material, light, and space. When concrete is left exposed, without finishes or cladding, its texture, weight, and ability to shape the interior atmosphere become fully apparent.
The 20th century (and now the 21st) marked the great era of concrete, used not only as a structural element but also as an architectural language capable of conveying permanence, silence, and a sense of refuge. In warm climates, its thermal mass and ability to create deep shadows make it a perfect ally against the heat.
It is on Mexico’s Pacific coast that Casa Tao stands, a 472-square-metre (m²) residence in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, conceived as an introspective space that protects itself from the outside world through curved walls and interconnected courtyards.
Gustavo Quiroz
A house born from memory
The origin of Casa Tao does not stem from a formal image but rather from conversations with its owners, as explained by the project’s architects, HW Studio.
Throughout the design process, the clients revisited childhood memories and the feeling of shelter that traditional houses once provided against the intense coastal sun.
Gustavo Quiroz
According to the studio, “some houses are not designed; they are remembered. Casa Tao was not born from a technical drawing but from the silent memory of those who inhabit it.” The result is a house that does not seek to respond to an image, but rather to a way of life. Or more precisely, to a particular way of living.
This sensitivity is also influenced by Japanese culture. Before beginning the project, the homeowners travelled to Japan and developed a special affinity for the “aesthetics of emptiness, compositional clarity, and the quietness contained within every architectural gesture.”
César Belio
The studio therefore decided to create a home where time seems to slow down and light gently filters through the various spaces. Rather than orienting the house towards a specific view, it was positioned diagonally on the site, facing a nearby tree-lined square.
This gesture allows the house to capture the sea breeze without being directly exposed to the Pacific sun. “This strategy allowed us to elevate social life above street level, surround it with air, and open it up to the trees and the salty breeze that crosses the square,” the studio explains.
An interior life suspended in time
The house is organised around a large semi-elliptical concrete wall that shields the dwelling from the outside. This wall defines a series of courtyards and voids that structure the entire spatial experience.
Gustavo Quiroz
The ground floor accommodates the bedrooms, garage, and service areas, all arranged around a central courtyard. Adjacent to the garage is a second courtyard featuring a small reflecting pool that introduces a sense of calm into the interior of the house.
The communal areas, meanwhile, are elevated to an upper level and housed within a double-height volume with mezzanines. This interior “box” is almost completely isolated from the street. Only a square window, positioned at triforium level, establishes a visual connection with the internal courtyards.
The first level contains the living and dining rooms, while the upper level houses a study illuminated by skylights. This layout is designed to ensure that daily life unfolds within a calm and protected atmosphere.
Cast concrete assumes the role of the project’s absolute protagonist. According to the studio, the material “absorbs light delicately,” allowing natural illumination to glide softly across its surfaces.
Hugo Tirso
The spatial composition is also inspired by the essay In Praise of Shadows by Japanese writer Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, which reflects on the importance of shadow in traditional Japanese architecture. As a result, deep shadows and interconnected courtyards create a sequence of contemplative spaces.
Inside, “everything is arranged so that life can unfold more slowly and fully, more open to the invisible. It is a house that discreetly withdraws and offers its spaces as atmospheres for contemplation and memory,” the studio concludes.