the Cucapá of the Yuman people
INT
Casa:emme is an inventive reinterpretation of the functional brief of share working space. The design creates different, connectable, dividable, indoor and outdoor spaces that nurture diverse modes of individual or group activity with specialised technical facilities suitable for the latest trends in digital media and production, but also for meetings, conversations, crafting, filming, making and cooking, as well as exhibiting, displaying, performing, presenting and selling. Full colour saturation, sliding walls, gardens, built in niches and seating result in a quirky combination of old and new that creates more than a workspace, but a community where conversations turn into projects, workshops fuel new ideas, and collaboration thrives. Located in Mexico, the design was realised through a multi disciplinary collaboration between local and international practitioners, combining different cultures, ideas and ways of working to create a place that is entirely new but also appropriate, valuable and definitively grounded in the local community.
Casa:emme transforms a former family home into a dynamic co-working hub for local young creatives in the Mexican border city of Mexicali.
Much of the original building was retained with the addition of a rear extension framed by small gardens that draw light into the interior.
The jury commend the inventive reconfiguration of the internal layout using sliding doors, niches and bold splashes of colour. The result is a playful sense of domesticity that offers a refreshing reinterpretation of the traditional co-working model.
At casa:emme, every space is utilized, whether people need a quiet nook or a vibrant open space, they can find the perfect spot to create, collaborate, find peaceful retreat, be energized, inspired, or simply vibe. Local art, gardens and colour are combined through bold and thoughtful design that makes the project more than a workspace – it’s a community where conversations turn into projects, workshops fuel new ideas, and collaboration thrives. Everyone is welcome, but especially young creatives and entrepreneurs that previously did not have such support. At casa:emme they don’t just work – they bring their visions to life.
Justin Mallia, Designer
Miriam Hernandez Orozco, Project Architect
Mariano Gonzalez Silva, Graduate of Architecture
German Pineda Juárez, Graduate of Architecture
S & L Construcción, Engineer
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
