Jessica Park story of those changes — both Mérida’s and my own,” she says. Independently printed, Tomando Agua de Pozo was a local success and was reprinted just three years later by Mazatlan Books as Magic Made in Mexico. Although Joanna has published other projects, she has now come back to her own story. “I want to address how people live, how COVID impacted our lives, and how it still continues to affect our lifestyle. Traffic in Mérida is definitely big-city aggressive. Entire families have moved from other states in Mexico to live in Mérida, and international resident numbers are off the charts. I want to give newcomers a more up-to-date perspective on what living in southeastern Mexico is really like.” When I ask her how she’s changed in the time she’s lived here, she looks reflective. “I think that when I first moved here, I always wanted to be busy and moving fast from one activity to another. I still have lots of energy, but I’ve come to appreciate many aspects of life here that I once took for granted. Yucatán won’t ever be like Ajijic or San Miguel de Allende; it has a unique culture and traditions. I hope those contemplating a move here will learn about the customs and respect the Yucatecan way of life.” Joanna says her years in Mérida have brought her a great deal of personal satisfaction. “Raising two bilingual and bicultural children is an achievement that fills your Dad and me with gratitude. I feel the work I did at TTT was important to our community, as was my role with the International Women’s Club. The friendships I have made have also taught me a lot.” Mom and Dad do a lot together but also have their separate interests. Hers are writing and painting. These days, Mom seems satisfied, what we Yucatecans call una vida tranquila. But then she turns and opens her eyes wide. “I’ve lived almost 70 years, and have lived them well. I hope I’ll have a good many more.” Obviously, Joanna van der Gracht de Rosado still has a few surprises in store.
A YOUNG ARCHITECT BUILDS A BUSINESS FROM THE GROUND UP
P
Jessica Park has collaborated with Erick Puc since 2021.
ark Estudio defies its youth. Founded four years ago by architect Jessica Park Zavala, and in association with architect Erick Puc since 2021, it exhibits a maturity usually gained from many more years of experience. Jessica’s path to architecture began in Holbox when, as a small child, she would accompany her mother on visits to different houses with an engineer friend of the family. These were her first experiences of how a building can evoke feelings. Her interest now centers on how to create different sensations. Aspects such as how the wind flows through a space, the play of light from openings, textures, heights, and volumes. Accordingly, both space and function are the cornerstones of Park Estudio’s designs. They aim to “create emotions and experiences that, by way of the senses, offer a unique perception in each project.” Jessica and Erick’s collaboration came about to ensure the designs were accurately translated from blueprints to reality during construction, often undertaken by an external contractor. They maintain control of all schedules and processes which, in turn, affords them the flexibility to experiment when the opportunity presents itself — repurposing stones from the demolition stage or testing traditional surface finishing techniques. The general sensibility of the team’s approach couples with personal, environmental, and cultural sensitivities. When working with her first foreign clients, Jessica recognized she needed to entender otra cultura en mi cultura — understand another culture within her own — as a non-Mexican client’s appreciation, perception, and requirements vary. For foreigners, dining rooms designed around entertaining; creating modern, open-plan living spaces within a colonial structure; or wanting to build or accentuate Mexican architectural features, are often important considerations. Pueblear — exploring local towns — is a favorite source of creative information for the team. Traditional Maya house construction, textures, techniques, and uses of materials are all details that, back in the studio, fuse with current trends and the client’s preferences to bring about refreshing traditional takes on Yucatecan architecture.
BY HANNAH HUDSON PHOTO COURTESY JESSICA PARK BY MAGGIE ROSADO van der GRACHT PHOTO LAURA SÁNCHEZ
YUCATÁN MAGAZINE | ISSUE 8
31
