Airy Elegance

For her first endeavor as a self-taught designer, Jasmine Scalesciani-Hawken put all her energy into transforming a 3.2-hectare herb farm into a sanctuary. Located a few steps from the beach in Baja, Mexico, the project sits at the foot of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountain range. Called Nua Nakūi, which means “honouring the ancient ways that last a long time,” the property was concieved as a wellness residence and fasting spa for up to four people, with a cleansing and rejuvenation program developed by Scalesciani-Hawken — who has over 25 years of experience in the field.

“The style of the build is born out of impressions and experiences I collected throughout my travels and the places I lived,” says Scalesciani-Hawken, who grew up between Italy, Uruguay and Argentina. “The rock design of the house was deeply influenced by Italian architect Alberto Ponis, who designed my childhood home in Sardinia into the existing rock formations of the hills the residence was situated on.”

Seamlessly integrating the structure into its surroundings and working with nature’s shapes proved to be one of the biggest challenges in this project, which was a labour of love that spanned several years. “During the process, it felt as if the home was informing me what it wanted to be, rather than me telling it what it should be,” says Scalesciani-Hawken.

Spread over one level, the main structure — with 4.5m-high ceilings and walls 40cm thick — comprises an open terrace at the top with 230 sqm of unobstructed views. “Every month on the full moon we see the sun set on the Pacific Ocean to one side, as the moon is rising behind the mountains on the other,” says the designer.

Carefully designed for indoor-outdoor living, the rooms adjoining the patio can open to create the feeling of either one large residence, or two separate units if desired. “I designed this project to have ample opportunity for experiencing nature inside. For example, between the living room and dining area is a body of water that people must step over and onto boulders found on the hills nearby. The objective was to be able to activate the senses and experience distinct elements from the outdoors while moving throughout the space.”

In addition to the 25-metre lap pool and outdoor living area and fireplace, the second structure called the “stone house” — which consists in a primary suite with a covered patio for sunset watching on hammocks — is comprised of beige-coloured rocks that were collected by Scalesciani-Hawken five hours north in the peninsula.

The soft colour palette compliments the sense of serenity Scalesciani-Hawken captures in each space, combining local stone, rock, onyx, and aluminium accents, to create a balance between the raw and the elevated.

In the primary bathroom, a hand sculpted bathtub, sauna, double shower and built-in resting nook face the farm, where herbs and flowers are collected to make oils for restorative bathing sessions. “In Ayurveda, the practice of a daily routine (called dinacharya) is important, so the bathhouse is designed as an expression of this lifestyle,” says Scalesciani-Hawken.

One hundred percent off grid, Nua Nakūi is the first of several wellness residences that Scalesciani-Hawken has dreams to design, with Italy already on her mind as a potential second location. Watch this space.