Vistalcielo House: Sustainable Restoration and Contemporary Architecture in Mérida

The Vistalcielo House in Mérida, Mexico, designed by Veinte Diezz Arquitectos, is a remarkable example of sustainable restoration and contemporary Mexican architecture. Completed in 2024, the project embraces the idea of conservation rather than demolition, reviving a structurally deteriorated home and transforming it into a serene, light-filled residence.

Restoring Instead of Replacing

The existing house sat on a narrow 5-by-31-meter lot, with collapsed roofs and overgrown vegetation. Instead of erasing its history, the architects adopted a minimal and respectful restoration strategy. Approximately 70% of the original structure was preserved, stabilizing the masonry walls and integrating them into the new design.

This approach reduced demolition waste, preserved cultural memory, and minimized the construction footprint, setting a sustainable precedent for small-scale urban interventions in Mérida.

A Sequence of Indoor-Outdoor Spaces

The house unfolds as a rhythm of six volumes—three covered and three open. These interconnected spaces generate visual transparency and fluid circulation, enhancing the connection between interior and exterior.

From the entrance, the journey through the house follows a sequence: a garden, a social core with kitchen and living room, a central patio, a guest suite, a rear garden with a pool, and finally, a master suite at the back.

The central patio plays a pivotal role, organizing circulation while functioning as a passive cooling system that enhances natural ventilation and comfort throughout the house.

Passive Design and Sustainable Architecture

Vistalcielo House integrates several passive design strategies. Patios, skylights, and curved walls allow natural light and ventilation to permeate the interiors, reducing reliance on artificial cooling. Bathrooms feature crescent-shaped skylights that frame direct views of the sky, bringing nature into daily rituals.

Local and low-energy materials define the finishes: natural-tone lime plaster, hand-striated concrete, and stabilized masonry. Traditional roof structures were reinterpreted with exposed slabs, revealing their beams as a subtle nod to heritage techniques.

A Palette Rooted in Local Context

The design employs a restrained and tactile material palette that echoes Mérida’s architectural identity. Regional stone defines paved areas, while minimal landscaping reinforces a sense of calm continuity. The steel window grilles were painted in their original soft sky-blue tone, creating a subtle link between past and present.

Every detail reflects the architects’ philosophy of recovering rather than replacing, allowing history and modernity to coexist in harmony.

Living Heritage in Contemporary Form

“Rather than creating a new house, we wanted to recover the one that was already there,” explains architect José Luis Irizzont Manzanero. This guiding principle turns Vistalcielo into more than just a renovation—it becomes a dialogue between heritage and contemporary architecture.

By breathing new life into forgotten structures, the project demonstrates that small-scale, respectful architectural interventions can offer meaningful alternatives to demolition.

The Vistalcielo House in Mérida embodies the balance between restoration, sustainability, and modern living. With its careful attention to light, natural ventilation, and material authenticity, the project offers a powerful architectural lesson: preservation can be the foundation of innovation.

All Photographs are works of  Manolo R. Solís