- Interior
Obstacles are just the reason a successful achievement was worth all the effort in hindsight. So do not let the final product we present here make you think that everything happened by itself, because behind these facades lie countless hours of hard work. Barde vanVoltt is a Dutch interior architecture studio with an obsession for projects that turn into complete experiences. This assignment in Mexico allowed them to delve into what they love most: giving something intangible a physical form.
Bart van Seggelen and Valérie Boerma are the faces behind Barde vanVoltt. Their home base is Amsterdam, although that does not prevent them from regularly descending elsewhere. Even another continent appears to be no problem, as Casa Mezcal is the duo's recent project in Mexico. With their global focus on luxury residences and their own initiatives within property development, they are always up to something. This assignment came from a Dutch client with whom they had already established a pleasant history and who was moving to the southern country with his wife. Originally, the property in question was in a dismal state, but the designers' vision was fortunately able to puncture that. Indeed, the soul was fully intact and still clearly hinted at the building's charm. After a caring and sweeping journey, they and their team worked together to complete an impressive design that fully met the clients' requirements with ease. At the same time, they consistently came up with surprising results. The couple has therefore made it their expertise to put together spaces that amaze and inspire. They consider themselves translators of sorts, rendering the story of a place in a style full of benevolent contrasts. In their portfolio, the unexpected leads to something rare. Here in Condesa, they blended craftsmanship, local design treasures, and structural adaptations to create a memorable property that welcomes you too. 
An air- and light-rich concept that intensively engages the outdoor space
To give each design a unique touch, the duo makes it their priority to find one-of-a-kind pieces that automatically take an interior to the next level. At the same time, this promotes authenticity by leaps and bounds. Finally, at the intersection of all these choices and efforts, you will find a result that relies on originality, substance and the ability to merge stories and spaces. There is no shortage of history at Casa Mezcal. Since they set to work on an old building, there was limited light. This is more often the case with such houses and is partly the result of a restrictive floor plan and non-optimal layout. Therefore, one of the main objectives was to let in more daylight. The old roof gave way to sliding glass panels, more specifically above the area where, among other things, the kitchen is located. This alone completely changed the feel of the interior and immediately made the layout much more open. 
A second advantage was that it gave the place the feel of an indoor garden, so the team decided to enhance that. A Japanese walnut tree as tall as five metres was planned there, which irrevocably began to mix indoors and outdoors.The bedrooms on the second floor overlook this, giving an almost realistic impression that you really are in the open air.This idea is also reinforced by the shadows cast by the tree on the walls and floor.Another crucial element of the floor plan is the focus on air circulation.Given the hot Mexican climate, it seemed no luxury to be able to easily cool the temperature inside.Thanks to the open layout, this is possible and oxygen can move around easily.The layout of the rooms was not drastically changed, other than the fact that most areas were made more spacious.The master bedroom was fitted with an ensuite. As a result, here you will find an enticing retreat complete with a double shower and bathtub. At the very top, on the roof terrace, the designers provided another special place where you can hide away from the city life all around for a while. Shade, a pool and plenty of privacy await you there.
Want to read more about this impressive talent? You can read about it in the December 2023 edition of Imagicasa Magazine. 
Photography by Alejandro Ramírez Orozco
Cinematographer: Dan Sánchez D. Vildósola
Contractor: CF taller de arquitectura
Architect: ZVA interiores & arquitectura
Text by Elke Aerts