NH Cancún Aeropuerto

A few minutes from the airport, the land seemed like just another passpoint in Cancun’s geography. But the vision was different: to translate the calm, light, and movement of the water into shapes, colors, and materials that would welcome travelers with a sense of Caribbean comfort. Thus was born the idea for the NH Cancun Airport—now AVANI—a fragment of coastline, designed so that even a layover stay would leave guests with memories of the sea.

The project combines the efficiency and order of a business hotel with the warmth, color, and life that pulse along these coasts.

Awards & Publications
- Honorable Mention at the XIII Yucatecan Architecture Biennial, 2021.

Publications
- ColorLife Trends 2021 Compendium. Comex. 2021.
- Podio Magazine. May 2020.

Participants
Enrique Duarte Aznar
José Luis Estudillo Robleda
Eduardo Gómez Arana
Hervé Jiménez Meza
Luis González Coyoc

Collaborators
Lighting, Electrical: ILURGIA
Plumbing, Sanitation, Irrigation, Rainwater Drainage, and Fire Protection: SAVC
Air Conditioning: Tecnoterma
Landscaping: Tania Domínguez
Interior Design in Public Areas: AJ Arte Mobiliario
BIM Consulting: BIMTEGRA
Photography: Tamara Uribe

A piece of coastline for the passing traveler

The project's location—strategic yet lacking apparent charm—posed a challenge: to design a business hotel capable of meeting international functionality and efficiency standards, while simultaneously conveying the lively and vibrant identity of the Caribbean. ¿How could a stopover be turned into a destination in itself?
On the other hand, the project had to integrate a demanding architectural program into rocky terrain with geological limitations, complying with brand guidelines and maximizing thermal comfort in an extreme climate. Furthermore, it was crucial to incorporate a large technical volume for air conditioning and water treatment equipment without compromising the aesthetics or the guest experience.

The reef as inspiration: Architecture as a translation of landscape

The reef is an ecosystem that welcomes, protects, and nourishes life in constant motion. The design took this principle as a metaphor: a space that welcomes those passing through, offers them rest and connection, and propels them toward their next destination.

The palette of materials, patterns, and arrangement of natural light evoke the texture and rhythm of the sea with a biomimetic design; drawing inspiration from nature was not just a decorative gesture, but a functional response. The structure and skin of the building interact with the sun, wind, and environment, while its functionality aligns to a brand with high standards of quality and comfort.

From Vision to Detail

The architectural development required integrating branding corporate criteria with a humanistic and contextual approach. Every transition —from the exterior to the lobby, from common areas to the guest rooms— was meticulously crafted so that travelers would feel a subtle yet profound shift: moving from the accelerated pace of the highway to the calm of a Caribbean refuge.

The facade, inspired by biomimetic architecture, evokes marine corals through a reticular pattern of voids and solid elements that regulates light and temperature. This interplay of light and shadow becomes a changing spectacle throughout the day, reminding guests that they are in a unique place.

Finally, for technical execution, we opted for a semi-basement to reduce the visual impact of parking lots and utility rooms. This simultaneously served to elevate the lobby, granting it prominence and hierarchy in the midst of the urban landscape.

Biomimetic Architecture for Caribbean Hotels

More than just a functional building, this project redefines what an airport hotel in the Caribbean can be. For guests, it represents a memorable stop along the way; for the brand, an asset that combines global high standards with a modern touch of local identity; for us, it was one of the firm's first projects to implement BIM methodology, which allowed us to coordinate architecture and engineering in a single three-dimensional model.

Bringing the sea to dry land does not mean imitating it, but rather translating its essence. This hotel borrows the calm of the horizon, the rhythm of the waves, and the freshness of the wind to integrate them into functional and contemporary spaces, confirming that biomimicry is a powerful tool for designing lasting projects with identity.

Just minutes from the airport, the project transforms a strategic location into a memorable experience: an urban oasis where high efficiency, a solid corporate identity, and Caribbean aesthetics coexist in perfect balance.

How do you bring the essence of the Caribbean Sea to the asphalt?

A piece of coastline for the passing traveler

The reef as inspiration: Architecture as a translation of landscape

From Vision to Detail

A space to remember

Biomimetic Architecture for Caribbean Hotels

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