Art lovers passing through the popular vacation town of Tulum on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula have an incredible new space to indulge the senses. Under the direction of the great-grandson of legendary art collector Peggy Guggenheim, the IK Lab will showcase pieces from all over the world in a stunning gallery built to blend into the tropical landscape.
The IK Lab opened late last month at the Azulik Resort, which provides luxury accommodation on Tulum's famous beachfront. The resort consists of artisanal handmade villas, and the property's newest structure stays true to this aesthetic.
Designed to connect its visitors with nature, guests are invited to wander barefoot across the gallery's winding, polished cement floors that curve upward into the walls to create a cavernous feel. These contrast with sections of warmer wooden flooring, crafted from bejuco, a vine native to the region.
Large circular windows and the four-meter-tall (13-ft) entrance let in both loads of light and the lush surroundings. Connected to the main gallery is an adjacent 12-meter-tall (40-ft) dome designed in line with traditional principles of geometry that is accessed via a pathway that crosses a natural water way.
"My history with Tulum is deep-rooted, and this project is very close to my heart," says Santiago Rumney Guggenheim, Director of IK LAB. "IK LAB is more than a gallery, it aspires to provide a framework for the world's finest creative minds to interact with the gallery's visionary architecture and explore new ways of creation."
Click through to the gallery to have a look around.
Source: IK Lab