{"id":817436,"date":"2026-05-23T19:15:49","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T19:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/817436\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T19:15:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T19:15:49","slug":"estero-by-barde-vanvoltt-reflects-slower-rhythm-of-baja-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/817436\/","title":{"rendered":"Estero by Barde vanVoltt reflects “slower rhythm” of Baja California"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dutch design studio Barde vanVoltt<\/a> has completed a building in San Jos\u00e9 del Cabo, Mexico<\/a>, which includes a chukum-lined community cafe at street level and residences above.<\/p>\n

The boutique Estero development by Oeste Works<\/a> includes the ground-level Gamba cafe and three floors, each containing two residences.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Estero boutique development includes a community cafe and six residences above<\/p>\n

Barde vanVoltt<\/a> shaped the architectural and spatial identity of the project, working in close collaboration with construction partner Arquipartners<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“The architecture is defined by a sculptural composition of horizontal volumes and vertical columns, with rounded balconies and deep overhangs that create a soft interplay of light and shadow throughout the day,” said Barde vanVoltt.<\/p>\n

\"BuildingBarde vanVoltt created an architectural rhythm through the columns an balconies<\/p>\n

Throughout the project, the primary materials include yellow-tinted chukum plaster, which “reflects the desert light beautifully during the day and creates a soft, calm atmosphere throughout the interiors”, according to studio co-founder Val\u00e9rie Boerma.<\/p>\n

This is paired with rosa morada, a wood variety typical of the region. “<\/p>\n

Compared to oak, it has a warmer and more sun-kissed appearance that feels naturally connected to Cabo,” Boerma continued.<\/p>\n

\"AA courtyard formed by the L-shaped plan provides an outdoor seating area for the cafe<\/p>\n

“Together, these materials create a sense of warmth and quietness that feels aligned with the slower rhythm and outdoor lifestyle of Baja California Sur,” she added.<\/p>\n

The L-shaped structure abuts the street at the end of its longer wing, forming a courtyard space in the building’s crook that’s used as an outdoor seating area for the cafe.<\/p>\n

\"GlassGlass panels pivot open to allow for the circulation of people and fresh air<\/p>\n

This sheltered nook is surrounded by raised planters behind built-in benches, accompanied by circular metal cafe tables and minimalist chairs.<\/p>\n

Vertical glass panels pivot open to allow access to the exterior and air to flow through the interior’s central seating space.<\/p>\n

\"CafeChukum plaster and rosa morada wood are applied throughout the interiors<\/p>\n

Here, a central double-sided banquette with black-upholstered cushions creates a row of two-top tables on either side.<\/p>\n

A bar area with further seating is located in front of the central kitchen, and a lounge at the back is tucked behind a wood and glass partition beside a surfboard rack.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe front of the cafe includes a bar area and further seating<\/p>\n

“We developed custom sofas, tables, shelving systems, beds and kitchen elements to create a cohesive architectural language throughout the project,” said Boerma.<\/p>\n

Upstairs, the residences each occupy a wing of the L, while the building’s staircase is located in the corner of the intersection.<\/p>\n

\"Custom-designedMuch of the furniture was custom-designed for the project<\/p>\n

Studio apartments at the front have balconies that face the street, while the two-bedroom homes are set back and overlook the courtyard.<\/p>\n

“The interiors of the residences follow the same design language as Gamba cafe,” said Boerma.<\/p>\n

“We translated the architectural rhythm of the building into the interiors through custom furniture, soft curves and a restrained material palette.”<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Brutalist<\/p>\n

Barde vanVoltt designs Mexico City penthouse as “brutalist sanctuary”\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

On the roof, one private terrace and another for the remaining residents both feature small, narrow swimming pools, providing places to cool off in the year-round warm weather.<\/p>\n

Steps up to the pools sit in between low planters and built-in benches, while additional seating is provided by loungers and around tables for dining al-fresco after cooking on the grills.<\/p>\n

\"AThe residences have access to rooftop spaces \u2013 one of which is private, while the other is open to all residents<\/p>\n

“The project reflects a broader shift happening in San Jos\u00e9 del Cabo, where design, hospitality and community are becoming increasingly intertwined,” Boerma said.<\/p>\n

“Rather than creating a purely mixed-use development project, we wanted to design a place that contributes something back to the neighbourhood and encourages connection through everyday rituals and shared spaces.”<\/p>\n

\"RooftopBoth terraces have plunge pools for cooling off in the year-round warm weather<\/p>\n

Barde vanVoltt was co-founded by Boerma and Bart van Seggelen, who have worked extensively in both Mexico and the Netherlands. In the former, the studio recently completed a two-level penthouse in Mexico City<\/a> designed as a “brutalist sanctuary”.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a coffee showroom in Amsterdam<\/a> and a historic home renovation in Haarlem<\/a> are amongst the studio’s latest projects in its home country.<\/p>\n

The photography is by Zaickz Moz<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dutch design studio Barde vanVoltt has completed a building in San Jos\u00e9 del Cabo, Mexico, which includes a…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":817437,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[32],"tags":[648,1032,299937,91033,1033,171,2222,84780,92915,92916,245024,67,132,68],"class_list":["post-817436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-barde-vanvoltt","tag-cafes","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-mexico","tag-mixed-use","tag-sectionall","tag-sectionarchitecture","tag-sectionexclusives","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116625495616521192","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/817436","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=817436"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/817436\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/817437"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=817436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=817436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=817436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}