Earlier in the week I showed you around a remote mountain cabin in the Swedish wilderness; this time it’s a sleek earth-walled villa on Mexico’s sun-baked Pacific coast. The architecture and settings may be very different, but both buildings share a common thread: modern, minimalist design that carries a strong sense of place.
The subject of today’s post is Vipp Todos Santos – the tenth addition to Danish brand Vipp’s ever-expanding collection of bookable accommodation and the first outside Europe. Created by renowned architect Pablo Pérez Palacios and his Mexico-City-based studio PPAA, it sits against a backdrop of dusty plains and towering cacti, with mountains to one side and the ocean to the other. Like the other Vipp guesthouses, it blends understated Scandinavian style with nods to the local landscape and vernacular, and is deeply rooted in its setting.
The four-bedroom house was crafted using traditional Mexican building techniques and materials from the surrounding area. The thick, rammed-earth walls are ideally suited to the climate, providing natural insulation that keeps the interiors cool during the day and warm at night. They’re left in their raw state to showcase their beautiful earthy-pink colour, and punctuated by large picture windows that frame views of the countryside. The various wings are positioned to follow the contours of the site, with strategically placed gaps that reveal tantalising glimpses of the landscape, plus external staircases and terraces for easy indoor-outdoor living. Here and there, walls extend beyond the building’s footprint, softening the incoming light and providing a sense of visual continuity.
For the interiors, Pérez Palacios worked closely with Copenhagen-based designer and long-term Vipp collaborator Julie Cloos Mølsgaard, as well as the company’s third-generation co-owner Sofie Christensen Egelund. The aim was to complement the house’s architecture and create a series of serene spaces that showcase both Vipp’s own designs and Mexican crafts.
The result is an interplay of tones and textures that encompasses earth, concrete, metal, stone and wood. Minimalist Vipp furniture made from oak, marble and aluminium appears alongside handmade textiles, wall hangings and ceramics, with low-slung sofas and beds creating a relaxed holiday vibe. Throughout, window shutters woven from branches of the local Palo de Arco tree cast ever-changing shadows as the day progresses.
The open-plan living area is centred around Vipp’s ‘V3’ kitchen in anodized aluminium. The striking silhouette, with its extruded fronts and stainless-steel countertops, adds a sculptural flair to the space. The star feature is an island unit that seems to emerge from the floor and extend through the window to form an alfresco dining table on the partially shaded patio beyond.
The bedrooms feature sliding screen-like doors that open straight to the outside, plus ensuite bathrooms with walk-in showers. Smooth marble-topped bedside tables, aluminium lamps and white-metal vanity units set up a striking contrast with the rough tactility of the walls.
Crowning the house is an expansive roof terrace designed to act as a day-to-night gathering place. Its focal point is a mirror-like circular pool, positioned to maximise the sweeping views and the reflections from the ever-shifting sky above. Its shape is echoed by the round dining table to its side, which fosters a sense of informal conviviality. Sofas and armchairs from Vipp’s outdoor range, meanwhile, provide comfy spots for snoozing, reading and sundowners.
Find out more about Vipp Todos Santos and book a stay here. Rates start at US$1,000 per night for up to eight adults, with a minimum three-night stay.
All photography courtesy of Vipp
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