Portal 62 Reveals a Hidden Cave in Mérida Through Architecture That Embraces Discovery
A sunken bathtub illuminated by natural light becomes the focal point of Portal 62’s subterranean level, where architecture meets the cave’s original stone walls.
The orange-toned façade of Portal 62, made with local earth, reveals the home’s compact layout, exterior stairway, and stacked bedrooms.
A rear view of Portal 62 reveals the pool and rammed-earth wall that conceals the stairway leading down to the subterranean cave.
A compact residence in Mérida’s historic center transforms a buried cavern into the heart of the design.
MéRIDA, YUCATáN, MEXICO, July 9, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Portal 62 is a 70-square-meter home located in Mérida’s historic center. What began as a standard renovation evolved into an architectural discovery after a sealed well and buried stairway revealed the presence of a natural cavern beneath the property. This unexpected finding redefined the project’s scope, resulting in a residence shaped not by plan alone, but by what lay underground.
The intervention preserves one original bay of the house, which now contains the living, dining, and kitchenette areas. A new volume was added, containing two bedrooms—one elevated, one sunken. The construction stops at the edge of the cavern, using the subterranean formation itself as a natural boundary. This limit determined the home’s overall scale, positioning, and sequence.
Circulation plays a central role in the experience of Portal 62. A corridor narrows between volumes, compressing before opening into a rear patio that includes a pool framed by a rammed-earth wall made by MORO Taller de Arquitectura. The wall functions as a visual filter, leading the eye toward a stairway that descends into the lower level, where the cave and an artificial tub await.
The tub was strategically placed below the restored well shaft, allowing daylight to pour down into the space and reflect on the water. This quiet, humid environment offers a pause in the spatial narrative—a moment of stillness before entering the cavern itself.
All materials were chosen in close relationship to the site. Exterior walls are rendered with a patchwork of local earth, giving the architecture a deep terracotta tone. Rammed-earth walls, solid cedar furniture, and minimal finishes establish a cohesive language throughout the house. Nothing is ornamental, and nothing distracts from the elemental experience of the site.
Portal 62 was never meant to impose; it was meant to reveal. It does not overwhelm, but rather guides its visitors through a journey of discovery—from the city street, to the pool, and finally into the cave.
José Luis Irizzont Manzanero
Veinte Diezz Arquitectos
+52 999 109 3853
jl@veintediezz.com
What Lies Beneath This House In Merida
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