Casa Ma is an atelier for creators to dream & meditate, a garden sanctuary located in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Ma (間) is a Japanese word which can be roughly translated as "gap", "space", "pause" or "the space between two structural parts.” The spatial concept is experienced progressively through intervals of spatial designation. In Japanese, Ma, the word for space, suggests interval. It is best described as a consciousness of place, not in the sense of an enclosed three-dimensional entity, but rather the simultaneous awareness of form and non-form deriving from an intensification of vision. Ma is not something that is created by compositional elements; it takes place in the imagination of the human who experiences these elements. Therefore, Ma can be defined as experiential place understood with emphasis on interval.
Ma has also been described as "an emptiness full of possibilities, like a promise yet to be fulfilled", and as "the silence between the notes which make the music."
Casa Ma consultancy
Casa Ma consultancy creates concepts for living spaces which explore a sustainable vision from the past to the future.
In the beginning.
We came across an abandoned construction in a small cruel de sac in a quiet neighbourhood...
The raw structure was standing still in front of our eyes, it was massive and hollow. We curiously walked into the building. There were two large openings from the ground up to the ceiling, facing north to the garden. The wall of neem trees made the space feel private and serene, I envisioned a garden of Henri Rousseau’s jungle. We walked through to the garden and looked up to grasp its overview. The solid and asymmetrical structure reminded me of old Mayan ruins. At that moment, we had a vision: a vision of unknown full of possibilities. It was also a moment to realize sometimes life unfolds an unexpected path.
Construction Phase
“We want to create a space to rejuvenate our soul and mind, so the house becomes a temple; the source of creativity. In order to experience this sense of freedom, we created areas where we can relax and calm our mind while being inside of the house, in the garden, hidden corners & beyond.”
Finished House
It took almost 2 years to finish our house, and it was a reminder how remote Todos Santos really is…
Todos Santos is located on a tip of Baja peninsula on the side of pacific coast. So, most building materials were brought over from mainland Mexico crossing over the Gulf of California. One of the recognizable styles of housing components in Baja is the use of cement, Mexico is known for their masterful skills in the cement work. The cement has a cooling quality from the strong sun and its dryness is in harmony with the desert climate.
Casa Ma Hanare.
Casa Ma Hanare is a small guest lodging for two. Perfect for wanderers who likes to explore the wonders of Baja Sur. Locate just a minutes outside of Todos Santos downtown.
https://airbnb.com/h/casa-ma-hanare
About furnitures in Casa Ma
Defining spaces, designing furnitures.
Options are limited in Todos Santos, so we started to produce most of our interior items and furnitures locally. We met a ceramic artist, Rakel Aguilar Verde whose work is known as India Maya. We commissioned her to create 4 different styles of ceramic lamp shade for Casa Ma.
We developed four different ceramic lampshade pendant lights paired with brass lamp holders.
Wabi Sabi in daily living.
This vintage solid white oak was originally used for a port. The log is weathered, cracked, stained by aging naturally. You can only imagine what this oak went through in its life, harsh sun, salty water, bumpy boat…. the life as an oak. Now the oak is transformed by a local craft man to become a table sitting still in Casa Ma.
The log is delivered to local craft man Martine, who works on the wood in his studio.