Orchid Pavilion in Mexico by CCA

In three locations in Mexico and Japan, the Casa Wabi Foundation aims to promote dialogue between contemporary art and local communities. It is named after the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi. It believes that beauty and harmony can be found in simplicity, imperfection and unconventionality.

A place of peace and growth

These ideas also underpin the pavilion designed for the Foundation by CCA Centro de Colaboración Arquitectónica. Located just outside Puerto Escondido on Mexico's Pacific coast, it is dedicated primarily to the cultivation of orchids from the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

‘It became evident that in order to grow, reproduce, and collect orchids, we needed to create the right environment for them to thrive: humid, partially shaded, and well ventilated,’ the architects write about their project. "But more interestingly, the relationship between the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi, which believes that beauty and harmony are found in simplicity, imperfection, and unconventionality, and the rich and complex traditions of the Oaxacan coast – its vernacular, locally sourced materials, and the high quality of the artisanal works of the local craftsmen – were to be at the center of our proposal."

Shady, moist microclimate

Orchids absorb water not only from the soil, but also from other surfaces and the air. The architects took advantage of this property in the design. The pinewood roof truss carries twelve water-filled pyramid-shaped concrete basins along its ridge. These release drops of water through openings in their undersides, which fall to the ground and seep into the gravel between the concrete slabs. In this way, there is always the right humidity inside the pavilion for the plants, which are suspended from the roof beams in planters. This means that the orchids do not need to be watered by hand.

Clearly visible in the aerial photograph are the twelve concrete containers on the ridge of the roof that provide water for the plants. © Rafael Gamo

Concrete and pine construction

The trough-like floor of the pavilion, which is set slightly into the ground, and the surrounding bench are made of red-coloured concrete. The same goes for the drinking fountain, which is available to visitors for refreshment. It is fed by the same rainwater that nourishes the orchids.