The offices of the Casa Leyros tequila distillery are located in stone buildings arranged around tranquil courtyards by Mexican firm 1540 Arquitectura.
Situated in the town of Tequila in Mexico’s Jalisco province, the small office building was designed by Guadalajara-based studio 1540 Arquitectura for roughly 20 employees.
The design draws influence from the courtyard houses prevalent in the area, with the intention to create more welcoming and casual workspaces.
“From the local architecture, we took as reference the multiple courtyards and gardens found in the typical houses and haciendas, which refresh the interior and at the same time are pleasant to see, an aspect we consider important for a workspace,” said 1540 Arquitectura.
The low-slung building is organised by a central corridor that provides access to offices on either side, housed within stone-covered cube shapes that delineate courtyards in between them.
“The corridor becomes a space that seeks casual encounters between all the workers in the company,” the studio said.
Breaking up the building’s program into these individual boxes allows each office to enjoy views of a courtyard, according to architect Jaime Castillo of 1540 Arquitectura.
Matching the area’s relatively dry climate, the landscape surrounding the building is filled with resilient plants and cacti that thrive with little maintenance.
“In addition, these gardens become visible in the route through the central corridor, producing an alternation between mass and emptiness,” the architect added.
The offices range from private suites to small rooms for collaborative work. At either end of the corridor, two large conference rooms housed in glazed volumes accommodate larger meetings.
The glass contrasts with the Laja stone, a material prevalent in the region, used to clad the other volumes.
“We are interested and inspired by the stones visible in the cuts of the hills caused by the passage of the roads, which reveal the material that is in the subsoil of the area,” Castillo explained.
The interiors are also more evocative of a cosy house than of an office setting.
With the exception of the conference rooms, most of the interior surfaces are lined with wood panels. Deep leather couches, brass lighting, and stone countertops reinforce this warm palette.
1540 Arquitectura was established in 2015, in the nearby city of Guadalajara.
Other projects that have been completed by the young firm include a home that appears to be made entirely of travertine, and a tequila-tasting pavilion for another distillery in the same town.
The photography is by [credit requested]
