April 12, 2022 | Updated: April 19, 2022

Cuatro Cielos: limestone and wood homes in the Mayan city of Tulum

Architecture studio VOID Studio blends local materials from Mexico with organic design by PORCELANOSA.

Formerly known as Zamá (the Mayan word for dawn), Tulum is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Mayan culture, and was one of the last to be inhabited by Mesoamerican civilisation.

Interiors of limestone and wood

This walled city in the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico is located high on a cliff, and boasts 60 Mayan temples and palaces, beaches lapped by turquoise sea and Tulum National Park, a natural paradise with underground lagoons and rivers, mangroves, white turtles, tropical forests and an ancient fort.

This is the landscape you can take in through the picture windows at Cuatro Cielo, a residential complex with four geometric apartments where the vernacular architecture is combined with natural collections by PORCELANOSA Group.

Designed by VOID Studio, this residential complex spans a total of 811 m2. The angular, symmetrical volumes live alongside local stone, tabebuia rosa wood and chukem flooring: a traditional Yucatán finish combining the resin of the chukum tree with white cement and limestone. The fusion of materials and colours perfectly integrates each of the homes with the surrounding beaches and forests.

Earth-toned bathrooms with Noken design

The earthy hues, used to connect the interiors and outdoor areas including the walkways and swimming pools, is the predominant theme in rooms such as the living rooms and open en-suite bedrooms. Here, the Tulum stone and vegetation is highlighted further through ochre and beige hues, ushering the tranquillity of the Caribbean into each apartment. The free-standing hydromassage Minimal Oval bath by Noken and Hotels taps for the brand’s shower fit the context perfectly. Yesterday’s design, for today.