Located in Colinas de Santa Fé in Colima, Mexico, Taller Di Frenna Arquitectos is a workplace completed in 2025 and designed by Di Frenna Arquitectos to serve as its own studio.
The building is organised around a series of internal courtyards that structure light, movement and spatial relationships. It accommodates a model workshop, audiovisual areas, meeting rooms and desk-based workspaces, alongside a series of internal patios. The project also operates as a built expression of the practice’s design approach, embedding its architectural language within the space it occupies.
Defined volumes and exposed materials shape the spatial language
The project is organised through a composition of clearly defined volumes, establishing a legible spatial order across the programme. This clarity is reinforced through the use of exposed materials, allowing construction systems and surface treatments to remain visible.
A material palette centred on concrete, steel and stone is deployed across the building. These elements introduce variation in texture and surface condition while maintaining a restrained material language.
Interior courtyards introduce light, vegetation and spatial variation
A series of interior courtyards is integrated within the building to establish a direct relationship between the built form and natural elements. These voids allow natural light to penetrate deep into the interior while accommodating vegetation within defined zones.
Changes in level, combined with the interaction of light and shadow, produce a sequence of differentiated spaces, creating areas that support both focused work and informal use.
Craft and construction as part of the architectural expression
The project was executed by local builders and craftsmen in Colima, with construction detailing contributing directly to the building’s material character. Exposed concrete surfaces retain the imprint of timber formwork, making the process of construction legible within the completed structure.
A studio built from its own design language
As the working space of the practice, Taller Di Frenna Arquitectos consolidates key aspects of its approach, including defined volumetry, material expression and the integration of natural elements.
Workspace organisation aligns with spatial structure, positioning the studio as both a place of production and a direct reflection of the practice’s design methodology.
