Residence at Cabo Pulmo Mexican Beach, Makes Anyone Feel at Home [2]
Outside Casa Neverending, one can see waves hitting the beautiful white Mexican beaches [3] or look around and see horses running wild and pelicans soaring above. But inside, this house is far from what you might expect. It was designed to be completely accessible for a wheelchair, despite the fact that its owners do not use one.
Co-owner Patrisha Wright is an advocate of people with disabilities, and she was instrumental in the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. She also founded the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.
“Our main requirement for the design of the home was that the accessibility features needed to be integrated into the design, not an add-on,” co-owner Debra Zeyen said.
The 2,600-square-foot, house was designed by the architect Cathi House of the architectural firm of House + House, with offices located in San Francisco and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Cathi House is an advocate of the concept of “universal design” in which buildings are intended to accommodate everyone. Some concepts incorporated into the house were ramps, cabinets that pull out from under the sinks, power outlets that are higher and light switches that are lower than in most homes, and a lift that can be attached to the stone plunge pool out front.
Cabo Pulmo is a quiet region of only 100 full-time residents, located a little less than 100 kilometers, or 60 miles, from Cabo San Lucas. As the area does not have electrical service or telephones, a solar power system and a generator were installed.