
M5
Located in Oaxaca, Mexico, Casa M5 is sited within the City Center’s main quadrant. The clients, Manuel and Maribel, wanted a new home with sufficient room for their three children, Manu, Miguel, and Marina – hence the name, M5. The clients had long owned a noted art gallery in Oaxaca and, through their involvement in the arts, had accumulated a large, diverse, and significant art collection. As a result, the new house also needed to be able to effectively display this collection. When the project began, the site was occupied by an existing summer house from the 1930’s. There was no historic or architectural value to the house. As a result, the decision was made to tear the house down

and begin anew. With this decision, however, came a desire to retain the historic typology of a house organized around a central garden and situated behind high walls that protect the privacy of the inhabitants and create continuity with the other houses on the block. After deciding to tear down the house, the decision was made to preserve many of the elements of the house and incorporate them into the new structure. This included solid wood doors, bathroom sinks, glass mirrors, brick and even some furniture. In addition, the pool was preserved and restored. The house in turn was built around it. IMAGES BY RAFAEL GAMO

YEAR
SIZE
TYPE
STATUS
LOCATION
CLIENT
2014
500 M2
RESIDENTIAL
COMPLETED
OAXACA, MEXICO
MANUEL GARCIA