studios MEDEZA CDQ and VERTEBRAL design residence in Baja desert
Casa La Vista is a residential project by MEDEZA CDQ and VERTEBRAL located on a cliff within the desert landscape of Baja California Sur, Mexico. Positioned among dunes and overlooking the coastline of San José and Punta Gorda, the house is oriented toward the southeast to frame the horizon where sea and sky meet. The project responds to the region’s extreme climatic conditions through a spatial and tectonic strategy that prioritizes orientation, shading, and material performance.
The architectural composition is organized around a large, continuous roof that acts as the project’s primary formal and environmental element. This roof connects three distinct wings along a longitudinal axis, structuring circulation and shared outdoor spaces while providing protection from sun exposure. Two of the wings contain five bedrooms and are linked by a desert garden that mediates between private and communal zones. The sequence culminates in the social wing, which serves as the central gathering space of the residence.
street facade | all images courtesy of MEDEZA CDQ and VERTEBRAL
Casa La Vista’s architecture integrates with its surroundings
The collaborative team between architectural practice MEDEZA CDQ and design studio VERTEBRAL selects materials that reinforce the relationship between the building and its surroundings. Stone sourced from the Santa Catarina quarry is used extensively, grounding the house in the tones and textures of the desert terrain. In the social wing, walls are finished with Puebla travertine, introducing a lighter surface that contrasts with the Ojinaga stone flooring and roof structure. Rosa Morada wood is used for carpentry elements and left untreated to preserve its natural coloration.
Environmental strategies focus on passive performance. Deep roof overhangs provide shade and reduce direct solar gain, while operable openings along the central axis enable cross-ventilation throughout the interior spaces. When fully opened, these openings facilitate airflow that cools the courtyards and interior zones. Landscaping consists exclusively of endemic vegetation transplanted from the surrounding ecosystem and arranged in deliberate patterns that guide movement, provide shade, and reinforce spatial sequencing.
Casa La Vista integrates architectural form, material logic, and climatic response into a unified system. Through its orientation, sectional organization, and passive strategies, the project establishes a continuous relationship between interior spaces and the desert environment while accommodating residential use within a challenging climate.
foyer
courtyard
terrace
veranda
veranda
pool
great room
great room
dining area
pool loungers
aerial
project info:
name: Casa La Vista
architects: MEDEZA CDQ | @medeza_mx, VERTEBRAL | @vertebral.mx
location: Baja, Mexico
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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
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