Category: project

Location:  Playa Santa Teresa, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Year: 2020
Area: 796 m2
Photographer: Leonardo Finotti

Guarumo is a contemporary residence located on the Costa Rican Pacific coast, where the characteristic tropical landscape is harmoniously combined with modern, simple and discreet architecture, all with a high degree of aesthetics / design.

The project is located on a steep hillside, so the adequate positioning of the architectural program is essential to guaranteeing a proper adaptation. The staggering of its blocks favors a real adaptation to the topography of the site, minimizing the impact to the soils and avoiding large movements of land and expensive retaining walls. At the same time, it capitalizes on the spectacular views of both the ocean and the dense natural landscape that surrounds it.

The heart of Guarumo consists of a void, a fracture in the staggering of the program blocks, which becomes the social meeting point of the project for both residents and guests. The concept of non-matter being the focal point of this development is an intentional irony, as it forces the vegetation to become the protagonist. This common area is equipped with various amenities, among them its infinity pool that reflects a perfect sunset, the bar / bbq and its terrace that extends over the treetops. These provide the perfect setting for a genuine relationship with nature and with the space, creating a unique experience for its users.

The project is a reflection of the search that has marked our practice inn sustainable architecture influenced by local and vernacular architecture, with a true understanding of the land. Challenging a common misconception in tropical design that tends to use non-long-lasting materials in the spirit of a more “natural” aesthetic, our innovative board formed poured concrete proposal, though more difficult to execute, provides a low maintenance solution that will stand the test of time.

Some of the elements of sustainable architecture implemented are the strategic positioning of the pool as a source of water in the direction of the prevailing winds to reduce temperatures, the use of natural and local materials such as exposed concrete and wood and the solar protection of the windows through solid eaves. The use of large openings from floor to ceiling breaks the barrier between the interior and the exterior to promote natural ventilation. Finally, the incorporation of surrounding vegetation, the collection of rainwater and treatment of sewage water for irrigation are some of the passive strategies for the development of a sustainable project for a tropical context.

Thus, Guarumo is a symbiotic proposal that, beyond trying to dominate the natural environment, positions it as a focal point, an empty space through which the barriers between the built and the autochthonous are broken, the discretion of the design and the imposition of the panoramic beauty, setting the stage for social interaction and cultural mixing that occur integrally in shared spaces.

Location: Santa Ana, San José, Costa Rica
Year: 2017
Area: 11,810 m2



Filii is a school proposal located in Santa Ana, Costa Rica. It is based on the Montessori method of education which offers a child-centered approach that aims to develop children physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively.

The site has an irregular topography and is situated next to Route 27, offering easy access to one of the country’s main highways. It is surrounded by semi-dense vegetation on the western side of the property and the terrain is classified as Protection Zone by local land use regulations.

The project approach consisted of identifying the 4 main components that the school has and subdividing each according to their respective programs. These were established as: elementary school, high school, administration and service, and amenities. Using slope analyses, each group was assigned an area designated to its corresponding buildings within the site. The main building combines classrooms on lower levels with an elevated walkway on the roof. It also acts as a bridge between the main entrance and the furthermost portion of the school where the orchards and butterfly sanctuary are located. Amenities, administration offices and elementary school are scattered next to it.

The project uses a diverse material palette combining concrete, glass and metal facades with corten steel and colored metallic louvers. Color is used to identify grade levels within the school.

Location: Manzanillo, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Year: 2019
Area: 598 m2



Cocuyo Blanco is a house located in Manzanillo, Costa Rica. Manzanillo is a secluded beach situated in the outer border of the Nicoya Peninsula, part of country’s northern pacific coast. It offers touristic activities such as sport fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling.  

The site has an irregular topography and geometry. It can be accessed through the public road in the south side of the lot. Several autochthonous trees can be found scattered through the terrain, all of which are preserved. Most of the terrain is covered in pasture and offers views towards the mountains of Cóbano.

The project consists of 3 separate architectural interventions joined by a continuous walkway. Each component of the house is layed out according to how public/private it is. The first block, the ‘barn’, houses a game room, basketball court, bathroom and guest room. A pool and deck area acts as a link between the barn and the kitchen/dining/living room. Two curved gabion walls enclose both blocks giving continuity to individual spaces and containing the soil above them. A separate block located in a lower part of the property holds two mirrored modules. Each one houses 2 bedrooms and a bathroom and accommodates up to 7 people. All blocks are positioned according to views, solar orientation and topography.

Cocuyo Blanco has separate aesthetic languages. Different materials are used to empathize each program. The ‘barn’ and kitchen area combine concrete, stone and metal with glass panels and green roofs. The bedroom block employs corten steel siding and brickwork for exteriors and wood paneling for interiors.

Location: Escazú, San José, Costa Rica
Year: 2018
Area: 442 m2

Residencia FH is one of two houses designed by VOID in the same property in Escazú, Costa Rica. Escazú is one of the upper scale districts in the province of San José and is mostly surrounded by mountains.  

The site is accessed through the western side and has a sloped topography with the highest point in the southern sector. The incline is mostly uniform and as such, water runoff goes in the same direction (NW). Several autoctonous trees such as the Guacimo, Guachipelín, Llama del Bosque and Corteza Amarilla are found throughout the lot.

Residencia FH is located in the upper part of the site and faces North. The lower level consists of a central space holding common areas (kitchen, living room, dining room) with service rooms on each side. The gym, terrace and outdoor bar remain on the back-end of the house facing southward to offer more privacy. The upper level holds 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a TV room. All face north and are accessed through a hallway on the southern end of the house that acts as a thermal buffer zone.

Both houses share a similar material palette so as to give cohesion to the whole project. Materials used include: exposed concrete, glass panels, metallic structural frames and varying types of stained wood for parasols, exterior and interior facades.

Residencia FH es una de dos casas diseñadas por VOID en la misma propiedad en Escazú, Costa Rica. Escazú es uno de los cantones de gama alta de la provincia de San José y se encuentra rodeado por montañas.

Location: Escazú, San José, Costa Rica
Year: 2018
Area: 484 m2

Residencia BH is one of two houses designed by VOID in the same property in Escazú, Costa Rica. Escazú is one of the upper scale districts in the province of San José and is mostly surrounded by mountains.  

The site is accessed through the western side and has a sloped topography with the highest point in the southern sector. The incline is mostly uniform and as such, water runoff goes in the same direction (NW). Several autoctonous trees such as the Guacimo, Guachipelín, Llama del Bosque and Corteza Amarilla are found throughout the lot.

Residencia BH is located in the lower part of the site with the main entrance facing south. The common areas (dining room, living room) are located in the center of the lower level with a staircase separating them. Service rooms such as the bathroom, kitchen, and the laundry and storage rooms are positioned on the sides. The terrace, pool and outdoor bar are arranged on the northernmost part of the house facing a wooded area of the site. On the upper level, the master bedroom and bathroom occupy the western side of the house. The other two bedrooms, bathrooms and TV room are layed out on the opposite side.

Both houses share a similar material palette so as to give cohesion to the whole project. Materials used include: exposed concrete, glass pannels, gabion walls, metallic structural frames and varying types of stained wood for parasols, exterior and interior facades.

Location: Cachí, Cartago, Costa Rica
Year: 2019
Area: 5,150 m2

Cachi Wellness Center is located in Cartago, Costa Rica. The town of Cachí lies near the eastern bank of Lago Cachí, a man-made lake created by damming the river which used to flow past the town. The area is surrounded by coffee plantations and dense tropical forest. It is a popular spot for local and foreign tourists.

The site has over 6 hectares and an irregular geometry. It is accessed through the north side of the property and has a public road on the east. The terrain has a pronounced topography, with the highest point located on the southernmost sector and the lowest in the entry zone. Vegetation varies between dense tropical forest, pastures and bamboo woodlands.

The lower part of the site hosts most of the project’s amenities such as the restaurant, orchards, farm and pond as well as the front desk and storage warehouse. There are three existing buildings in this area which will be refurbished to meet the Wellness Center’s needs. Guest cabins are located in the middle section of the lot and are placed facing towards two volcanoes visible from the site. Typologies vary depending on the structural support system for each cabin, with one built on stilts and the other resting on the ground. Both seek to connect the user with the natural environment. The spa is positioned on the highest part of the property and lies hidden amongst a bamboo forest.

Materials used in the project vary according to the different programs. The cabins use a combination of burnt wood for exteriors and fine wood for interiors. Metal is utilized for structural elements such as stilts and details like stairs and railing. The spa combines natural elements such as stone and wood with the existing vegetation to convey a sense of connection with the natural environment.

Location: El Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Year: 2019
Area: 12,285 m2

Artflower & Agave is a mixed use complex located in Playas del Coco, Costa Rica. “El Coco”, as it is known locally, is one of the oldest beach communities in the province and continues to be ranked as one of the fastest growing areas of tourism in the country.

The site has a sloped topography and a small creek runs through it. The only access point is on the northern side of the property, facing Route 151. The rest of the property is surrounded by semi-dense woodlands. Zoning for the project was based on setbacks determined by the creek.

The project holds a warehouse, offices, a floral arrangement workshop, an outdoor event hall and a bar. The design for the offices and the workshop is based on local vernacular architecture. Both are located facing the main access point and are separated by a small plaza that leads towards the event hall. The road, parking lot and warehouse are all located parallel to these buildings. The bar is situated on the highest point of the property so as to offer views of the surrounding landscape.

Materials include polished concrete, glass panels, wood, reed, steel and metal siding. These are used to varying degrees depending on the building program. However, all buildings share a material palette to give cohesion to the whole project.

Location: Playa Grande, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Project Year: 2016
Area: 2,315.0 sq ft
Photographer: Andres Garcia Lachner

Tropik Works, the first off-grid residence in Costa Rica, was born out of the investigation of a new way of life rather than a traditional architectonic response. In wanting to establish a balance with the environment, we reimagined the concept of housing, creating an adaptable and malleable solution that grows with time in harmony with nature. We firmly believe that the consumption of renewable energies promotes technological development, as part of the new efficient economic model that is established as an engine of growth and employment. At the same time, these renewable energies are part of the vision promoted by our country to become carbon neutral by the year 2021. If we consider that construction is one of the primary contributors of CO2 emissions, we are forced to assume this challenge and establish the parameters for a new sustainable development. 

Everything is planned to take only what is necessary, through passive systems that are adapted to different configurations and to each of the living areas present in our country. We have based ourselves on three fundamental principles: efficiency, double functionality and maintaining a closed cycle, where each of these principles is materialized in the architecture. 

Efficiency is established through a prefabricated system that is later put together on site. This allows shortened execution times and reduces the cost of construction, as well as the direct impact over the terrain. The double functionality is reached as the architecture is conceived to fulfill and resolve a specific climatic parameter. Maintaining a closed cycle is achieved through the reutilization of resources, energy, water and food, that are integrated to each other through an organizational system that revolves around an elevated central patio, defining the unit as a living component that breathes from its interior. This organizational system at the same time allows a double relation with nature, since the inhabitable spaces are contained within a natural space. 

The crossed ventilation, prefabrication, the extraction and induction system which passively takes advantage of the air currents and thermal differences, the reutilization of water for food production and the solar radiation protection, as well as the captured energy stored in a comprehensive system of solar panels strategically positioned to take advantage of energetic performance, are part of the basic strategies which allow us to be an independent, 100% sustainable off-grid system. 

Location: Barrio Escalante, San José, Costa Rica
Year: 2016
Area: 966 m2

Lolita is an urban food court located in Barrio Escalante, one of Costa Rica’s most visited and relevant culinary locations. Previously an upscale neighborhood, Barrio Escalante has become a hotspot for locals and tourists alike, resulting in high pedestrian traffic and an active social scene. The area also hosts several public transportation nodes such as bus stops, a train station and urban bike rentals.

The site is made up of two properties with a historical building between them. Because of it’s irregular geometry, spaces are arranged using the same program scheme so as to maintain an order.  Historic and newly built architecture remains in the front, whereas the common and natural areas are located in the back. In doing so, passersby get a clear view of the dining options and are invited to discover the green social areas within.

A framed volume with the same height as neighboring buildings serves as the main entrance to the project. It simultaneously provides shading and creates a tunnel to enable cross ventilation to occur. Eateries are layed out on the sides of the frame whilst circulation and dining areas are set on the central space.  As users navigate the project they are led to varying social areas where activities such as live music, open air theatre and temporary marketplaces take place.

The materials and color palette used are based on existing ones found throughout Barrio Escalante so as to integrate the project to its environment. In addition, the varying vegetation, furniture arrangement  and murals within the interior areas create dynamic spaces that change seasonally.

Location: Santa Ana, San José, Costa Rica
Year: 2017
Area: 70,608 m2

La Caraña is an equestrian facility located in Santa Ana, Costa Rica. It has been operating since 1969, when it became the country’s first equestrian club.

The site has two main entries. The first one acts as the general entry point for club members and is located in the northern side of the property. It connects with Ruta 27, one of the country’s busiest highways. The second entry is located near a residential area in the southern side of the property.

For the proposal, activities carried out within La Caraña are classified into three groups: equestrian, club and commercial. Sub-categories within these groups are organized and spatial relationships are established. Once the program is set, the existing building structures are studied to determine which are maintained and which are re-built or moved to another location.

Each of the three main blocks are assigned an area in the corners of the site. The central area of the property remains as common space. Clusters, bands and nodes are used to create relationships between architectural elements, circulation and green areas. In doing so, a series of circuits are created so that users may navigate the project freely. Articulating nodes connect these circuits and integrate all of the project’s programs.