Location: Tulum, Mexico
Area: 4800.0 ft2
Year: 2015
Architect: Specht Harpman
Interior Design: Matthew Finalson
Photography: © Taggart Sorenson
This ecoluxe private villa, on a narrow lot fronting a protected bay in Tulum, Mexico, is designed to be fully self-sufficient and to immerse its occupants in the range of environments that the site offers. A narrow path brings visitors through dense vegetation to a large living/dining/kitchen space that is fully open to the beach beyond. All four bedrooms can also be fully opened to the exterior and this transparency allows prevailing winds to provide cooling while maximizing views of the site. The house is powered by a photovoltaic canopy that shades a large rooftop terrace, which also collects rain water that is filtered and stored for use. The house is grid-tied, produces no excess, and works in harmony with its surroundings.
Specht Harpman
All images courtesy of Specht Architects
Specht Architects
Scott Specht is the founding principal at Specht Architects with over 25 years of experience designing and managing institutional, commercial, and residential projects. Before founding Specht Architects (formerly known as Specht Harpman), he worked as a senior designer for Daniel Libeskind Architect and collaborated with that office on its winning New York World Trade Center master planning proposal. He also worked for several years with Kohn Pedersen Fox and Associates Architects in New York, and was the Designer on a number of tall building projects around the world, including the Chifley Square project in Sydney, Australia, and the Niaga Bank headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is a licensed architect in Texas and New York, is NCARB certified, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects.
Scott received his Bachelor of Design degree from the University of Florida and his Master of Architecture degree from Yale University, where he received the George Nelson Scholarship and the Franklin W. Gregory Scholarship.
In addition to his work with Specht Architects, Scott’s independent design work has been exhibited in two SoHo gallery shows and at MakerFaire. His Governor’s Island planning proposal and Coney Island Visitor’s Center proposal have been featured at the Van Alen Institute, the Municipal Art Society, and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
CONTACT
New York, New York
1123 Broadway, Suite 312
New York, NY 10010
212.239.1150
