The concrete houses have, over the decades, served as a true laboratory for exploring the relationship between matter, light, and space. When concrete is left exposed, without finishes or coatings, its texture, weight, and ability to shape the interior atmosphere become fully apparent.
The 20th century (and the 21st) marked the great era of concrete, used not only as a structural material but also as an architectural language capable of conveying permanence, silence, and a sense of refuge. In warm climates, its thermal inertia 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 a sequence of interconnected courtyards.
A house born from memory
The origin of Casa Tao did not begin with a formal image but rather with conversations with the homeowners, as explained by the project’s architects, HW Studio.
Throughout the design process, the clients revisited childhood memories and the sense of shelter that traditional houses provided against the intense coastal sun.
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 was 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.”
The studio therefore set out 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 plot, facing a nearby tree-lined square.
This decision allows the house to capture the sea breeze without being directly exposed to the Pacific sun. “This strategy enabled us to elevate social life above street level, surround it with air, and open it towards the trees and the salty breeze crossing 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 world. This wall defines a series of courtyards and voids that structure the entire spatial experience.
The ground floor contains 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 featuring 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 interior courtyards.
The first level accommodates the living and dining rooms, while the upper level houses an office illuminated by skylights. This arrangement is designed to ensure that daily life unfolds within a calm and protected atmosphere.
Cast concrete assumes the role of the project’s undisputed protagonist. According to the studio, the material “absorbs light delicately,” allowing natural illumination to glide softly across its surfaces.
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 semi-darkness in traditional Japanese architecture. As a result, the deep shadows and interconnected courtyards create a sequence of contemplative spaces.
Inside, “everything is arranged so that life can unfold more slowly and more fully, more open to the invisible. It is a house that quietly withdraws and offers its spaces as atmospheres for contemplation and memory,” the studio concludes.