Journal

Ideas on architecture

Perspectives on sustainable design, natural materials, and building in Baja California Sur.

October 4, 2026

Building Tradition in Baja California Sur

Before the 'Mexican-style' villas, Baja had its own way of building: stone bases, thick adobe and brick walls, palm roofs and shaded gardens. My friend Arturo Ojeda spent a year documenting it. This is what it teaches us.

Bamboo in Desert Architecture: When It Works and When It Doesn't

Natural Materials

September 8, 2026

Bamboo in Desert Architecture: When It Works and When It Doesn't

Bamboo in a BCS climate is not the same as bamboo in a tropical one. The combination of coastal humidity, extreme UV, and temperature swings demands specific treatments and specific uses — or the material fails fast.

What to Expect When You Hire a Mexican Architect as a Foreigner

Hiring Guide

September 8, 2026

What to Expect When You Hire a Mexican Architect as a Foreigner

Hiring an architect in a country where you don't live full-time, in a language that may not be your first, involves real differences in process, contract, communication, and expectation. Here's the honest version.

Water Harvesting in a Desert Home: BCS Rainwater Systems That Work

Sustainable Systems

September 8, 2026

Water Harvesting in a Desert Home: BCS Rainwater Systems That Work

BCS gets 150–200mm of rain per year, mostly in six weeks of summer storms. That's not much — but with the right system, it's enough to meaningfully offset household water demand.

Volcanic and Sedimentary Stone in BCS Architecture: A Material Guide

Natural Materials

September 8, 2026

Volcanic and Sedimentary Stone in BCS Architecture: A Material Guide

The rock under your feet in Baja California Sur is one of the best building materials available — thermally, aesthetically, and ecologically. Here's how we work with local stone and why it outperforms imported alternatives.

Thermal Mass in Desert Architecture: The Physics Behind the Thick Wall

Design Principles

September 8, 2026

Thermal Mass in Desert Architecture: The Physics Behind the Thick Wall

The 20°C temperature swing between a BCS afternoon and predawn isn't a problem — it's a resource. Thermal mass is how traditional desert architecture captures it, and it's just as relevant today.

Terrain First: How the Land Defines Architecture in BCS

Site Design

September 8, 2026

Terrain First: How the Land Defines Architecture in BCS

A hillside lot, an arroyo edge, a flat desert parcel, a cliff above the Pacific — each demands a completely different architectural response. In BCS, you read the land before you draw anything.

Sustainable Certifications for Homes in Mexico: What Has Real Value and What Doesn't

Sustainable Design

September 8, 2026

Sustainable Certifications for Homes in Mexico: What Has Real Value and What Doesn't

LEED, EDGE, SISEVIVE-ECOTECT, NMX-AA-164 — there are several sustainability certifications available in Mexico. Some are rigorous and genuinely useful. Some are marketing. Here's how to tell the difference.

Solar Energy in BCS: What 320 Sunny Days Per Year Actually Means for Your Home

Sustainable Systems

September 8, 2026

Solar Energy in BCS: What 320 Sunny Days Per Year Actually Means for Your Home

BCS has one of the highest solar irradiance levels in North America. The question isn't whether solar works here — it's how to size the system, whether to go off-grid or grid-tied, and how to integrate it into the architecture.

Rooftop Terraces in Los Cabos: How to Design One That Actually Works

Design Principles

September 8, 2026

Rooftop Terraces in Los Cabos: How to Design One That Actually Works

A rooftop terrace in BCS can be the best space in the house — or the most useless. The difference comes down to orientation, shade, wind, and materials that can survive UV, salt, and sustained heat.

Pool Design in a Desert Climate: What No One Tells You Before You Build

Design Principles

September 8, 2026

Pool Design in a Desert Climate: What No One Tells You Before You Build

Designing a pool in BCS is not like designing one anywhere else. Evaporation, heat load, material choice, and shade placement work completely differently when the air temperature is 40°C and the humidity swings 40 points in a day.

What Makes a Luxury Home in Los Cabos Genuinely Sustainable (and What Doesn't)

Sustainable Design

September 8, 2026

What Makes a Luxury Home in Los Cabos Genuinely Sustainable (and What Doesn't)

In Los Cabos, 'sustainable luxury' is applied to almost everything. Most of it is marketing. Here's what the real version looks like — and how to tell the difference.

The Courtyard Is Not Optional: Interior Patios in Desert Architecture

Design Principles

September 8, 2026

The Courtyard Is Not Optional: Interior Patios in Desert Architecture

In BCS, an interior courtyard isn't a nice-to-have. It's the mechanism that makes a desert home livable — creating microclimate, cross-ventilation, and actual outdoor space you can use.

Adobe Construction in BCS: A Thermal Material, Not a Nostalgic One

Natural Materials

September 8, 2026

Adobe Construction in BCS: A Thermal Material, Not a Nostalgic One

Adobe isn't heritage architecture preserved under glass. In BCS, it's one of the most technically intelligent building materials available — and we use it in contemporary homes.

Building vs. Buying in Los Cabos: A Real Comparison

Investment

September 8, 2026

Building vs. Buying in Los Cabos: A Real Comparison

The question isn't just financial — it's about timeline, control, risk, and what you actually end up with. Here's the honest breakdown for someone deciding between building from scratch and buying existing property in BCS.

Chukum: The Ancient Waterproofing Material We Use in Every Project

Natural Materials

September 8, 2026

Chukum: The Ancient Waterproofing Material We Use in Every Project

Chukum is a pre-Hispanic waterproofing finish made from tree bark, lime, and water. It's been used in Mexico for over a thousand years — and it outperforms most modern products in our climate.

Interior Design for Desert Homes in BCS: Principles That Actually Survive the Climate

Design Principles

September 8, 2026

Interior Design for Desert Homes in BCS: Principles That Actually Survive the Climate

A BCS interior that works isn't just about aesthetics. It's about materials that don't warp in heat, textiles that don't fade in UV, and a spatial logic that makes the house livable when it's 40°C outside.

How Long Does It Actually Take to Build a House in Los Cabos?

Building Process

September 8, 2026

How Long Does It Actually Take to Build a House in Los Cabos?

The honest answer involves permits, rainy season, material lead times, and contractor availability. No responsible architect gives you a single number — but this post gives you the real framework.

How to Choose an Architect in Los Cabos: Questions, Red Flags, and What Actually Matters

Hiring Guide

September 8, 2026

How to Choose an Architect in Los Cabos: Questions, Red Flags, and What Actually Matters

Hiring an architect in Los Cabos is different from hiring one anywhere else. The regulatory environment, the climate, and the contractor ecosystem here require specific knowledge — and not everyone claiming to have it does.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Tiny House in Los Cabos?

Tiny Houses

September 1, 2026

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Tiny House in Los Cabos?

Material costs, permits, and what nobody tells you before you break ground in Baja California Sur.

Why Earthen Architecture Still Makes Sense in 2026

Sustainable Design

August 1, 2026

Why Earthen Architecture Still Makes Sense in 2026

Compacted earth walls regulate temperature, absorb moisture, and outlast conventional concrete — at a fraction of the embodied carbon.

Designing Off-Grid in Los Cabos: White Lodge Case Study

Baja California

July 1, 2026

Designing Off-Grid in Los Cabos: White Lodge Case Study

Solar panels, rainwater harvesting, and passive cooling aren't luxury features when your site is 40 km from the nearest grid connection.

Fixed Price in Architecture: How It Actually Works

Process

June 1, 2026

Fixed Price in Architecture: How It Actually Works

Most clients come to us having been burned by open-ended contracts. Here's exactly how we structure our pricing so there are no surprises.

Tiny House as an Investment: Airbnb Rental Returns in Los Cabos

Tiny Houses

May 1, 2026

Tiny House as an Investment: Airbnb Rental Returns in Los Cabos

Real ROI numbers, seasonal data, and what design features actually move the needle on nightly rates in East Cape, Todos Santos, and the SJC corridor.

Tiny House Permits in BCS: A Step-by-Step Guide

Tiny Houses

April 1, 2026

Tiny House Permits in BCS: A Step-by-Step Guide

Uso de Suelo, environmental impact, construction licenses — the real process for getting a tiny house permitted in Baja California Sur, without surprises.

Biophilic Design in an Arid Climate: Bringing Nature Into the Desert

Sustainable Design

March 1, 2026

Biophilic Design in an Arid Climate: Bringing Nature Into the Desert

Biophilic design in BCS isn't tropical greenery and wood cladding. It's a completely different conversation — about water, shadow, native plants, and materials that belong to this landscape.

Passive Ventilation in Desert Houses: No AC, Maximum Comfort

Sustainable Design

February 1, 2026

Passive Ventilation in Desert Houses: No AC, Maximum Comfort

How air moves through a well-designed desert house — and why getting orientation, section, and openings right from day one can eliminate or dramatically reduce air conditioning in BCS.

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring an Architect in Los Cabos

Process

January 1, 2026

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring an Architect in Los Cabos

Before you sign anything, read this. These are the five mistakes I see clients make — and how to avoid every one of them.

Can Foreigners Build in Los Cabos? A Complete Guide

Baja California

December 1, 2025

Can Foreigners Build in Los Cabos? A Complete Guide

Yes — but there are legal structures you need to understand first. Here's exactly how foreign ownership and construction works in BCS.

Vernacular Architecture of Baja California: What the Old Builders Knew

Sustainable Design

November 1, 2025

Vernacular Architecture of Baja California: What the Old Builders Knew

Before air conditioning, before imported materials, people built brilliantly in BCS. What they understood — and what we've had to relearn.

Best Materials for a Tiny House in the BCS Desert

Tiny Houses

October 1, 2025

Best Materials for a Tiny House in the BCS Desert

The BCS desert destroys wrong materials fast and rewards the right ones for decades. Here's what actually works — and what doesn't.