Location: Playa Hermosa, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Year: 2017
Area: 2,631 m2

Hermosa Salvaje is a residential housing project situated in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica. Located in the country’s central pacific coast, Playa Hermosa draws it’s popularity from surfing and tourism. It has a flourishing beach town spanning a portion of the coastline and small residential areas scattered throughout.

The site consists of a 2631m2 slope with a road and access point in the western side. It has panoramic views towards the natural landscape on all sides and is located a 5 minute drive away from the beach. Existing perimeter trees remain on the site to grant more privacy to the central area and offer canopy views to the apartments. The social areas and pool are positioned in the eastern side of the project and can be accessed by foot.

The project is made up of 5 buildings, each holding 2 mirrored apartments. All apartments have 2 bedrooms, a living room/dining area, terrace and a studio located on opposite ends of the building to offer more privacy. The kitchen, bathrooms and vertical circulation are centralized so as to have a core for most of the plumbing and electrical wiring.

Materials used include concrete and metal for structural elements, and wood and glass panels for exterior facades and parasols. Passive climate control strategies such as using far-reaching overhangs, cross-ventilation and natural shading are implemented in the project, and solar panels reduce operation costs and save energy.