Zeller & Moye "combines ruinous character with luxury" for Mérida hotel

Hotel Sevilla in Mérida by Zeller & Moye

Architecture studio Zeller & Moye has added a series of concrete insertions to a colonial building in Mérida, Mexico, to create the Hotel Sevilla.

Zeller & Moye first saw the colonial villa while it was an abandoned ruin and aimed to ensure that this essence was retained when designing the modern hotel.

"Eight years ago when visiting the existing casona in the heart of Mérida for the first time we fell in love with the charm of the ruinous building – its patios taken over by nature, eroded wall finishes and disintegrated marble floors," said Zeller & Moye co-founder Ingrid Moye.

"We wanted to maintain the inherent beauty of the decay as much as possible whilst carefully restoring the listed monument for a new use as a unique hotel," she told Dezeen.

Pool in Mérida hotel — A contemporary pool was added in one of the courtyards

The studio renovated the existing buildings that surround a pair of adjoined courtyards and added a series insertions designed to be distinct from the original building.

"We looked into combining the ruinous character with luxury and comfort as it can be found in traditional colonial houses and haciendas of Yucatán," explained Moye.

"In order to be able to add contemporary interventions, we came up with the concept of a 'palimpsest', in which past and present layers of construction across different eras not only coexist side by side but start to juxtapose to one rich entity," she continued.

"All new architectural interventions are made from contemporary materials such as concrete and brass, in strong contrast to the historical architecture."

Hotel Sevilla in Mérida — The studio aimed to maintain the sense of the ruined building

The studio arranged 21 bedrooms in the existing structure, the majority of which open directly onto the courtyard spaces.

The main collonaded courtyard contains an outdoor restaurant, while in the smaller courtyard, the studio designed a distinctive pool that is divided in half by a wall with a doorway-like opening cut from it.

A spa, which contains a circular cold-plunge pool designed to evoke a cave and a sweat room, connects both courtyards.

Hotel rooms in Mexican hotel — The bedrooms open onto the courtyards and first-floor balcony

"The back part of the property is what traditionally was known as the caballerizas, an area for horses and storage," explained Moye.

"We felt the patio surrounded by rooms made from arched stone-masonry would make a perfect place for guests to find a retreat from the tropical sub-humid weather."

"The central open pool amidst dense greenery forms a refreshing oasis within the hotel," she continued.

"As a new addition, the pool area is made of one continuous concrete surface that drapes across the patio garden forming paths, basins, platforms, and stairs."

Hotel in Mexican hotel — In total, the hotel has 21 bedrooms

On the upper floor, a large balcony with wicker seating overlooks the central courtyard.

While the hotel looks inward to the central courtyards, Zeller & Moye turned the street-facing rooms into a series of self-contained shops.

Bedroom in Hotel Sevilla — The rooms contrast contemporary fixtures and fittings with the existing structure

Overall, Zeller & Moye hope that they have created a space for "refreshment and relaxation" that also shows how buildings evolve.

"We are interested in how buildings evolve over time," said Moye. "A building does not remain static, it is an organism exposed to layers of time and use."

"We wanted to create experiences based on all natural elements: sky, earth, fire, the flow of air, endemic vegetation, and water," she continued.

"The latter is present throughout the hotel in the form of pools and espejos de agua that create a climate of refreshment and relaxation."

Bar in hotel in Mérida — A bar was added on the upper floor

Based in Berlin and Mexico City, Zeller & Moye is led by architects Moye and Christoph Zeller. Recent projects by the studio include an earthquake-resistant housing block in Mexico City and a wooden house in a German forest.

The photography is by Fernando Marroquín.

Project credits:

Architect: Zeller & Moye / Ingrid Moye, Christoph Zeller (principals), Harrison Cole Nesbitt, Luca Genualdo, Nina Meyer, Alex Pineda, Sarah Righi (team)
Client: Grupo Habita
Local architect: Carlos Cuevas, Yucateka Studio
Structural & mechanical engineering: CM Ingeniería, Lighting: Luca Salas
Contractor: Vigilante de la Construcción

The post Zeller & Moye "combines ruinous character with luxury" for Mérida hotel appeared first on Dezeen.