MEDEZA shapes brutalist desert canyon entrance as sundial in los cabos, mexico

MEDEZA designs canyon entrance in los cabos, mexico

In the arid landscapes of Los Cabos in Baja California Sur, Mexico, a private family club finds its striking arrival point in Canyon Entrance, a pavilion that is both a threshold and a statement. Conceived as a radial composition, this desertic structure is the work of MEDEZA (Francisco Parra) and CDQ (Centro Diseño Querencia), with collaborators Mauricio Rios, Gerardo Aguero & Vanessa Ramirez. The design orchestrates a sensory journey, compressing space to heighten anticipation before releasing visitors into the openness of a sculpted desert garden. The architecture, drawing from brutalist desert aesthetics, breathes with the environment through its voids, pigments, and the dramatic interplay of light and shadow.

image by Cesar Belio CBSTD (main image also)

desert architecture oriented as sundial

The pavilion’s form is anchored by two monumental, pigmented concrete walls. These points hold a 17-meter radial and sloped concrete slab, from which 41 ribbed beams radiate outward. This composition evokes the spokes of a silent sundial, creating a balanced structure that is both grounded and ethereal. The deliberate balance of mass and openness is a hallmark of the design, celebrating the raw honesty of materials and allowing architecture to exist in a direct dialogue with the sun.

image by Cesar Belio CBSTD

Canyon Entrance is a meticulously crafted desert landmark. The project is the result of a precise collaboration between Francisco Parra, chief architect of MEDEZA, and the Querencia Design Center, who oversaw both the design and its flawless execution. This synergy allowed for a design that is not only visually compelling but also deeply integrated into its environment, marking a new standard for a brutalist desert architecture that is both timeless and responsive to its unique context.

image by Cesar Belio CBSTD

image by Cesar Belio CBSTD

project info:

name: Canyon Entrance
designers: MEDEZA (Francisco Parra) and CDQ (Centro Diseño Querencia)

project collaborators: Mauricio Rios, Gerardo Aguero, and Vanessa Ramirez

location: Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico

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