Casa Magmol by Arkham Projects
Casa Magmol sets a crisp silhouette in Merida, Mexico, where angular stone planes lift above a deep lawn and blue pool. Designed by Arkham Projects, the house pivots around a lateral entry that hides cars and directs attention to mass and light instead. Inside, broad openings slide away to fold living and dining into the garden, while rich surfaces sharpen the quarry-inspired concept.
Soft evening light washes the pale stone as the upper volumes tilt like cut rock. Downstairs, a long opening pulls the garden into daily life.
This is a house in Merida by Arkham Projects, and it treats mass as the main act. The plan redirects arrival to the side so cars disappear and the first view lands on sculpted geometry. Material choice drives the narrative: stone above, dark bands and glass below, and water at the edge.
Cut Stone Massing
The upper level reads as three crisp planes, their pale cladding recalling quarried faces cut on a bias. Slight offsets and sharp terminations heighten shadow, giving the volumes a taut profile in Yucatan light. Between them, a recessed slot holds glazing and planting, a slim void that stresses the heft of the stone.
Shaded Ground Level
Below, the house steps back under a dark horizontal band that deepens shade and sets a cool threshold to the garden. Sliding glass panels withdraw to stack wide, turning living areas into a breezy terrace for meals and conversation. The lateral entrance completes the sequence—guests arrive on foot, facing the composition rather than a driveway.
Tactile Interiors
Inside, materials carry weight without noise. A faceted wood ceiling gathers the dining and lounge, its warm tone contrasted by charcoal trims and soft stone floors. Seating mixes tailored sofas with rounded lounge chairs, while a large dining table anchors entertaining; overhead, sculptural lighting throws crisp geometry across the wood. At the bar and kitchen, veined marble wraps counters and splashbacks for a cool, dense touch.
Edges to Garden
The primary room opens straight to lawn and pool, keeping sightlines low and long. Plantings ring the perimeter, tucking utilities out of view and giving the terrace a calm, green frame. Reflections double the stone planes in the water, which reads as another crafted surface more than a recreational add-on.
Arrival, Then Reveal
Approach begins at the side, where textured planting and soft uplights lead to the door. Vehicles vanish behind the scene so volume, not storage, sets the tone (a simple move with outsize effect). Once inside, the long opening to the garden becomes the axis, and the house resolves around air, shade, and the measured heft of stone.
As dusk settles, the cut planes hold the last light and the interiors glow. Shadows tighten along the joints, and the living level sits cool under the dark lintel. The quarry idea holds—carved, precise, and grounded in everyday use.
Photography courtesy of Arkham Projects
Visit Arkham Projects
