Living The Gardens development is a complex of nine villas located in Cancun, Mexico. The main objective was to create homes with an innovative design but with a local architectural feel where families can enjoy harmony and create a strong social fabric integrated into a natural environment. The project promotes healthier lifestyles among its inhabitants by offering wellness services such as a yoga platform, an outdoor fitness area, a vegetable and picnic garden, a swimming pool, an art corridor, massage teepees, teepees of social relaxation, playground for children and area for pets. It also promotes the reduction of the use of resources, economic savings and a more sustainable housing product through passive and bioclimatic design. The first step is to do a climate analysis. Research had to be done on the local climate and the specific microclimate where the building is located. Specialized software was used to analyze each of the facades to give the best response to wind, sunlight and other climatic factors. In the region, the climate is hot and humid with an average annual temperature between 28º C and 32º C (82º F and 90º F) in summer, and between 26º C and 27º C (78º F and 80º F) in winter. Due to these characteristics, the project implements the following strategies: Solar Protection Sun protection is a requirement for energy efficiency in most climates, but in hot climates like where Living The Gardens is located, is essential. The project is protected from solar incidence with native vegetation, the volumetry of the building itself and wooden louvers located on the south façade, where solar incidence is more intense. Crossed Ventilation Knowing that the prevailing winds in Cancun come from the Southeast, it was decided to design the volume of the project in such a way as to ensure constant natural cross ventilation. This allows air conditioning to be substituted for fresh outside air, at least for most of the year. At the same time, this helps reduce energy consumption related to air conditioning, helping the family economy and the environment. Vegetation The use of native vegetation in a large percentage of the non-built-up part of the land creates a microclimate that reduces thermal sensation in general and, as mentioned above, reduces solar insulation. Also presenting new areas of vegetation integrated with the architectural design. Living The Gardens is a real estate development that integrates the economic vision of real estate development but manages to offer a housing product that gives more importance to the physical, emotional and social health of users while respecting the environment.
Victor and Sergio Sanz Pont, twin brothers and co-founders of sanzpont [arquitectura], with offices in Barcelona, Cancun, and Chicago. They see architecture as functional art that has to adapt to the site throughout BIOCLIMATIC. With several international awards, their design philosophy is based on a constant search for innovation, creativity, and showing great respect for the environment.
Álvaro Licona, is partner and co-founder of Sanzpont USA, based in Chicago. Also, the co-founder of a real estate company specialized in developing contemporary spaces in Mexico City aimed to provide a meaningful experience, creating customer-appropriate solutions while maintaining the natural and built environment.
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