Woha | sanzpont [arquitectura] | International Residential Architecture Awards 2022

sanzpont [arquitectura]: Winner of International Residential Architecture Awards 2022. Puerto Cancun is the most important mixed-use development in Cancun, where the sea and the city merge to create a community surrounded by beaches, canals, a marina, a golf course, and entertainment. Framed by its extraordinary natural setting in the middle of the Caribbean, it combines a wide variety of experiences of exclusive lifestyles, surrounded by 74 hectares of a protected natural area.

Live in Harmony witn Nature

With 20 levels and 204 apartments, WOHA is designed under the concept of creating a community in harmony and connection with its natural environment. It provides well-being to its users through a conscious way of life, committed to developing in harmony with the environment.  The project has a basement with two parking levels, an amenities floor, outdoor areas, 19 levels of apartments and a roof for green energy generation.

Design Premises

The design concept is based mainly on 3 main axes:

1. Efficient and functional design.

2. All units must enjoy a privileged view of the Caribbean Sea.

3. It must be focused on sustainability and energy savings through a passive bioclimatic design.

Efficient and Accessible Design, through High Funcionality

From the beginning, the project objective was to solve, in the most efficient way possible, an ideal home in a 100m2 module in a 7.7m wide x 11m long rectangle. The outcome is a dwelling where the main spaces of the dining room and main room are directed towards the predominant view of the sea. And the secondary room and the kitchen are directed towards the city´s view.

The design of the module is meticulously resolved in such a way that it avoids having corridors and residual circulation spaces. The access is directly from the elevator, which also avoids having insufficient common corridors between the dwellings.

All units must have an ocean view

Once the type of module with the best efficiency was resolved, the next design premise was that 100% of the houses focused on the view of the site.

Sustainable Approach

WOHA is conceived through the idea of ​​generating a lifestyle change by promoting:

1. Energy consumption reduction

2. Water recycling for new uses

3. The Reuse and Efficiency of Resources

Thermal insulation

By integrating sun protection techniques and materials, the solar impact inside the unit is reduced in 70%. All the windows have a double glass with argon gas of very low thermal conductivity. This avoids that heat enters de inner spaces.

Solar protection

After the study of thermal radiation, we can analyze the apartment individually, concluding that by integrating solar protection materials in the façade, the 70% of thermal sensation is reduced.

Water collection

For a more sustainable and harmonious approach to the environment, the project proposes to create a water collection system. It takes advantage of this natural resource while creating additional spaces such as cisterns and water treatment plants, which allow this resource used for cleaning activities at home. WOHA is a commitment to live in harmony with our environment, through a passive, efficient and bioclimatic design, which will promote energy savings, low resource consumption and avoid the extra cost of daily living.

Project Details
Firm
sanzpont [arquitectura]

Architect/Designer
Victor and Sergio Sanz Pont

Project Name
Woha

International Residential Architecture Awards Category
Housing More than 5 Floors Concept

Project Location
Cancun

Team
Victor Sanz Pont, Sergio Sanz Pont, Álvaro Licona, Valeria Gómez, Eder Jafet Hernández, Ali García, José Rodríguez, Leslye Cruz, Daniel Badillo & Ana Cristina Avilés. Líder de Proyecto: Valeria Gómez

Country
Mexico

Photography ©Credit
©sanzpont [arquitectura]

Sanzpont [arquitectura]: Victor and Sergio Sanz Pont, twin brothers and co-founders of sanzpont [arquitectura], with offices in Barcelona, Cancun, and Chicago. They see architecture as functional art that has to adapt to the site throughout BIOCLIMATIC. With several international awards, their design philosophy is based on a constant search for innovation, creativity, and showing great respect for the environment.

Álvaro Licona, is partner and co-founder of Sanzpont USA, in Chicago. Also, the co-founder of a real estate company specialized in developing contemporary spaces in Mexico City aimed to provide a meaningful experience, creating customer-appropriate solutions while maintaining the natural and built environment.