Colonial meets contemporary at the Baja Club in La Paz, Mexico. Infused with bohemian cool, the classic Mexican hacienda – originally built in 1910 – has been given an adaptive reuse makeover with a new five-story extension featuring a spa and rooftop sunset bar.
Mexico City-based Max von Werz Architects and Paris-based Jaune Interiors worked in tandem to cohesively blend the old with the new in this 32-room hotel. Defined by woven materials, along with green and red tones common to Mexican earthenware, the design tea, looked inwards to the country’s rich tradition of colours, textures, and craftsmanship to form the desert villa chic.
Echoing the L-shaped frame of the original villa, the layout of the new build frames a central courtyard that spills out into a series of peaceful patios and gardens. Generous terraces enjoy sweeping panoramic views of the bay of La Paz, thanks to the tiered massing of the extension, reducing its visual bulk. Framed by pserved antique brickwork that envelopes the property, the inviting pool is set on the outer courtyard.
The material palette continually refers to the property’s original detailing with artisanal terrazzo and Talavera tiles, hand-finished timber latticework and carpentry, and blown glass lamps. Massive timber beams and a rough stucco facade highlight the villa’s character. The main entrance, marked by a massive double door with amber glazing and ornamental ironmongery, celebrates colonial-era details that keep the design feeling true to its Hacienda past.
The interiors take cues from the house of renowned Mexican architect Luis Barragán, informing the hotel’s furniture and materials. Original fixtures, like the Villa’s high ceilings, timber beams and chandeliers, set a colonial-era tone that flows through to the rest of the design. Striped fabrics are reminiscent of the sea just at the doorstep, while old metals, light timbers and woven materials re-threaded through the project. The bathrooms are tiled in a manner similar to the classic Mexican hacienda.
With the Habita Hotel Group owning hotels up and down Mexico, not to mention their various U.S. locations, the Baja Club sets to become the waterfront Jewel of La Paz, making colonial chic once again.
