This Mexican Holiday home follows every pillar of brutalist architecture, with its monochrome palette and exposed concrete walls. But the heart of the home is anything but lost, as its owners found inspiration in the ancient, natural art that Earth is capable of.
Designed by the Mexican architectural studio, Espacio 18 Arquitectura, Villa Cava — which translates to “cave villa” — makes its home in the coastal town of Tulum. The owners were inspired by the Cenote Suytun in Yucatán, architects Carla Osorio and Mario Ávila explained in a statement to Dezeen.
“Villa Cava is a sensory experience, designed to offer a unique and unforgettable stay for guests,” explain the architects. “The project was created with the intention of bringing people together in a space that offers rest, inspiration and personal growth.”
A cenote, the home’s primary inspiration, is a natural sinkhole that exposes a pool of fresh groundwater, safe for swimming and relaxation. This reference becomes clear when considering the placement of the home’s swimming pool. With the rest of the building nestled below the pool — in a cave of sorts — a window looking up toward the sky reveals the way the architects integrated the water into the very heart of the home.
What’s more is the resulting refraction of light on the walls, splashing blue-hued light on the otherwise monochrome concrete and “reinforcing the cavernous atmosphere,” as the architects remark. “There is something amazing about the reflections on the walls that the water creates,” they add. One might argue that the studio managed a near-perfect reimagining of a natural phenomenon.
The pool can be entered on the roof, alongside a rooftop garden that warms up the home’s appearance and adds to the surrounding lush vegetation in Tulum’s Aldea Zamá neighborhood.
Described as “fortress-like” by the architects, Villa Cava is nothing short of remarkable. Through its presentation of strong borders and its success in reconceptualizing an ancient wonder, Espacio 18 Arquitectura managed to create something magical.
This article first appeared in the February 2026 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
