A house that turns inward on the Oaxacan coast

On a coast famous for its sea views, Casa Cieno does something unexpected: it looks inward. The house, by TAC Taller Alberto Calleja, sits on a 1,500-square-metre plot in the El Vigía area of Puerto Escondido, and it's organised around courtyards and a central pool rather than the ocean.

The main volume is turned diagonally on its site, which leaves green patios around the edges. They act as a leafy buffer against the neighbours and filter what you see. Inside the rectangle, the pool is the heart of the house. It divides the social rooms from the private ones, and paths across the water lead to the two bedrooms.

Above the pool, a round opening in the concrete roof frames the sky, so the light shifts through the day and you can watch time pass. The materials are simple and suited to the climate: exposed concrete and wood, chosen to weather with the place. On top, a planted roof gives back some of the greenery the house replaced, helps keep it cool, and opens views to the sea and the mountains beyond.

This is a private home, so there's no visiting, but it's a lovely example of how shade, water and planting can make a coastal house feel calm.

Our summary of a story from designboom, published 27 September 2026. Read the original

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