Set in the hillside town of Tepoztlán, this project reimagines a group of aging stone buildings as five modest, rentable dwellings. Shared gardens, a restored kiln, and a central corridor connect the spaces
Designed to support both solitude and exchange, the spaces honor the original architecture while opening it to light, landscape, and collective use.
Project
Taller05
Location
Tepoztlán, Morelos MX
Year
06/2025
Design Principal
Kory Forde
Set along a steep hillside in Santo Domingo Ocotitlán, this project began as a group of crumbling stone structures—scattered, uneven, and partially collapsed. Rather than erase that condition, the design works with it, reinforcing existing walls and stitching the volumes into a continuous whole. Five dwellings now occupy the site, each modest in scale and arranged to preserve the irregularity of the original construction. Carefully placed openings bring light into what were once enclosed, dark interiors. Outside, subtle additions—new roofs, restrained thresholds, planted edges—anchor the project without overwhelming the site. The result is quiet and functional: a place for retreat, seasonal living, and shared use. It avoids overt gestures in favor of small moves that respect the character of the place—its materials, topography, and rhythm.
Between the two main structures, a narrow interstitial zone becomes a key spatial element in the project. This open corridor echoes the contours and scale of the canyon behind the site—defined by parallel stone walls and stepped transitions. Steel bridges span this space to connect the dwellings, creating a network of pathways that unify the otherwise separate buildings. The bridges are light and open, allowing for visual connection and airflow between volumes. This passage becomes more than circulation—it offers shared moments of pause and interaction, linking private spaces without forcing interaction. The materials mirror the site’s palette: raw stone, dark steel, and soil. It’s a space that invites movement but also slows it down, forming a lived-in threshold between built form and landscape. Together, the structures and the voids between them form a cohesive, navigable terrain.
The project ends not in a statement, but in a rhythm. Each dwelling is modest in size but rich in expression: stone walls left exposed, steel left to patina, roofs that collect light and shadow throughout the day. Shared gardens and outdoor spaces are tucked between buildings, encouraging slow, seasonal use and informal gathering. There’s no central plaza or formal program; instead, the architecture makes room for people to inhabit it in different ways—alone or together, briefly or over time. This isn’t a project about transformation so much as continuity. It builds on what was already there, offering just enough structure to make the space livable, adaptable, and enduring. What remains is simple: a place to stay, rest, return, and share.
Set on a hillside in Santo Domingo Ocotitlán, this project reimagines a loose cluster of stone buildings as five modest dwellings. The original walls were kept largely intact, with new openings, roofs, and thresholds introduced to bring in light and continuity. Rather than impose a new language, the design builds quietly on what was already there—working with the slope, stone, and irregular structure to create spaces for retreat, seasonal living, and shared use.
Between the two main volumes, a narrow corridor creates a central connection through the site. This space mirrors the scale of the surrounding canyon, using stone to echo the canyon walls and steel to bridge the gap. Light steel walkways link the dwellings while preserving their autonomy, creating movement without crowding. The result is a sculptural, human-scaled passage—part threshold, part gathering space—that grounds the project and ties it together.
The project closes in a quiet rhythm. Each space is simple but durable, meant to be occupied slowly and evolve with use. There’s no central plaza or formal program; instead, the architecture makes room for people to inhabit it in different ways—alone or together, briefly or over time. This isn’t a project about transformation so much as continuity. It builds on what was already there, offering just enough structure to make the space livable, adaptable, and enduring.