Casa Tritón not only blends comfortably into its environment — it becomes the environment. Here, there is no distinction between the house and the land or the house and the air. Or even the house and the water, for that matter. An infinity pool connects each section of the Casa Tritón to the next, so it’s possible to wake up from an afternoon nap in the bedroom and swim all the way to dinner. Aldaco also had lights aimed on an offshore rock formation — making even the seascape itself part of his composition. But the one thing that makes Casa Triton unique among all the villas in Careyes is that Aldaco didn’t just carefully arrange a grouping of palapas on a scenic overlook. Instead, he uses those forms together to create spaces between structures — “negative spaces” without any walls — which by their inter-relationship with the rest of the scheme become as integral to the flow as any other element. Aldaco even used the gardens architecturally — here, a room’s fourth wall might actually be a hedge. And incredibly, on the rare occasion when it rains in Careyes, guests at the dining room table are treated to a fabulous mist.

Even the site plan was developed of the earth, not in spite of it. Aldaco naturally drew inspiration from the majestic bluff and its incomparable vistas. But what’s truly noteworthy is the extent to which the architect let the land determine the layout. Aldaco camped out on the site for weeks to study and learn it — the views of the water and the mountains, the direction of the rain, the wind patterns, and even the light and shade. He identified the best sight lines, imagining everything from the view through a window or passageway to an uninterrupted panorama. Then, satisfied that he had achieved a perfect compromise between man and nature, he sketched the plan for Casa Tritón in the dirt at full scale — and had it photographed from a helicopter.

The result is a place that not only lets visitors gaze out over a 270-degree expanse of sea and mountains, but also forces them to completely disavow their traditional views about indoors and outdoors in the process. Each morning, as her guests push aside the simple shutters, Casa Tritón opens up to the world. The living and dining areas — and even the master bath — are each open on three sides. The breakfast room and sunset lounge have no walls at all. Birds fly right through the media room. And regardless of socioeconomic standing, Tritón’s human occupants are required to share their temporary shelter with the resident frogs, birds and butterflies. One could imagine a painting by Henri Rousseau without the limitations of frame and canvas — or a five-star hotel with turndown service provided by the breeze.

Being the non-house that it is (or isn’t), Casa Tritón, of course, defies description in more ways than one. It obviously represents the maturation of the “palapa” style — but at the same time, it also epitomizes the Careyes lifestyle. Because everything about Casa Tritón has been designed to help its guests commune with nature, and to indulge in the unique way of life. Living is where Casa Tritón comes alive, and the people of Careyes know how to live. Meals are taken outdoors as the space dictates. Visitors host parties for friends, and family and Tritón plays the perfect hostess — with some expert assistance from the full-time staff of nine, which includes a butler, a gourmet chef, a houseboy, three maids and three gardeners — where champagne flows outdoors to the sounds of Beethoven mixed with the breakers, and where it’s not unusual to get lost in the glow of several hundred lighted candles on the terraces beneath an intensely starry sky.