About 45 miles southeast of the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, the co-founders of the El Silencio brand of mezcal—Vicente Cisneros and Fausto Zapata—are set to open an eco-minded resort by their distillery. The 9.5-acre property evokes both the area’s natural aesthetic and the production of the native agave spirit across a sustainable mezcal distillery and six guest suites. Casa Silencio's design evokes both ancient mythology and the creation and consumption of mezcal.
To develop Casa Silencio, Cisneros and Zapata collaborated with Alejandro D’Acosta, a Mexican architect who specializes in sustainable construction using raw and reclaimed materials.
Rather than referencing a current architecture trend or predisposed aesthetic, D’Acosta and the founders drew inspiration from Oaxaca, Mexico’s wine country and the distilleries of Scotland to connect their property to local history. Casa Silencio was constructed with a mix of ancient and modern techniques using (mostly) locally sourced materials. The walls are made of rammed earth (known as “tapial” in Spanish) with local soil; the ceilings are crafted from recycled wood; and all energy is powered by solar panels.
Interiors
Cisneros and Zapata worked with designer Martina D’Acosta to create the interiors. The furnishings, artwork and other decorative elements found throughout the property’s public spaces and guestrooms are almost all directly and exclusively created by local artisans and craftspeople from in and around the nearby town of Xaaga. Examples include rugs designed and produced in Teotitlán del Valle; curtains pedal-loomed by the Hernandez Quero family in Mitla; stone pieces carved in San Salvador El Seco; and abstract wooden pieces made in Huayapam. Natural materials such as steel, wood and stone complemented by a muted, moody color scheme to bring the outdoors in.
All six guest suites are geometrically constructed over two stories and have furniture, art, textiles and decor that offer subtle nods to the mezcal production process. Accents include burnt wood furnishings, distressed leather, artisanal candles, hand-woven wool rugs, velvet upholstery and copper lamps. Rooms vary in size and layout. Echoing the minimalist aesthetic, the bathrooms have walk-in showers and monolith stone sinks. One suite has a bathroom wrapped in a mosaic wall made entirely of recycled El Silencio bottles, forming an image of an Alebrije, the brand logo.
The indoor-outdoor dining area at the hotel is anchored by a 53-foot-long communal table made of a single 17-ton slab of hand-cut basalt. The table, which seats up to 45, extends from the center of the dining room to the exterior patio and is shaded by an abstract wooden awning.
A completely self-sustaining property, Casa Silencio repurposes material in a functional form. Rainwater harvesting and water reuse systems are implemented to feed the mezcal production plant, hotel and restaurant.