V Taller’s design of Babel suggests a model for creating hospitality spaces that are holistically sustainable – in an environmental and social sense.
Key features
Designed in response to the deforestation and overburdened infrastructure caused by the region’s developed tourism industry, Babel proposes a more socially and environmentally conscious solution. Designed by V Taller, the hotel embraces a high-density, vertical approach, helping to mitigate the development’s land use by 30 per cent when compared to a lower density approach. The property follows an eye-shaped layout, with two three-storey structures comprising 59 units surrounding a central courtyard. This formation, along with the architecture’s vaulted ceilings and arched openings, helps to enhance airflow, passive cooling and the filtration of natural light, optimizing land use to support groundwater recharge and reforestation.
Materiality was a crucial consideration for the development, and local materials are prioritized throughout. The primary exterior finish is chukum, a traditional limestone-based stucco from the Yucatán Peninsula; it provides humidity resistance and thermal regulation and requires minimal maintenance. Inside, tropical woods and handcrafted clay elements create a warm, textural contrast while reinforcing regional craftsmanship. Additionally, locally crafted furniture, woven textiles and ceramics dominate the development. These furnishings, finishes and surfaces were selected to underscore Babel’s commitment to local design, as well as for their performance in the extreme climate.
Each of the 59 units, which support short-term and long-term habitation, is conceived as a self-sufficient living space with a full kitchen, a living and dining area, a private bathroom, a garden with an integrated jacuzzi and a bedroom. Communal amenities such as a co-working space, a spa and wellness centre, a yoga studio, a restaurant, a bar and a Zen garden reinforce the holistic retreat’s offerings.
FRAME’s take
Babel provides a model for sustainable hospitality in a holistic sense. Not through a mere touting of green practices but through a complete design approach that prioritizes social and environmental longevity. V Taller’s ethos combines a reduced architectural footprint, incorporation of bioclimatic strategies for cooling and lighting, spaces that support the rejection of seasonal tourism and their adverse impact on the economy, and the embrace of local materials and interior items. As traveller demands for more authentic, ethical experiences increase, Babel embodies how operators are shifting their spatial strategies to have a more positive eco-social impact.