Category: residential

Location: Santa Ana, Costa Rica
Project Year: 2023
Area:  253m2
Photographer: Andrés Garcia Lachner

Located in San José, Costa Rica, Casa Patio is a tribute to the traditional colonial design where the houses open to the interior courtyard and the common areas surround it.  

The volumetry is created from the separation of two volumes that house the public and private program, united by a central courtyard, hence its name. Thanks to this approach, the residence manages to insert itself into the existing vegetation and explores the typology of the courtyard-house. The layout also allows the residents to inhabit the spaces with complete independence, as a perimeter corridor connects the different areas.   

The project proposes the opening at all times to the central courtyard designed with native species, the characteristic door-window present around the perimeter of the courtyard frame the view from inside the volumes, making the courtyard the soul of the house; this connection given by the large windows promotes cross ventilation in all rooms and the use of natural light. The choice of color palette and materiality make vegetation the main element in the overall composition of the house. Its white walls make the spaces better lit and this is reflected in lower electricity consumption, this added to other passive strategies such as the collection and storage of rainwater for later irrigation of the gardens and the use of local materials and labor for the design of furniture make casa patio another example of the search for sustainable architecture influenced by local vernacular architecture.  

“We like architecture to reveal itself in the unique and congruent solutions to the specific conditions of each project, and that these can contribute in terms of place, context, user and our own architectural concerns.”  

The courtyard permeates all the rooms of the house with the intention that the vegetation takes over, in search of a quiet, restorative and serene refuge. 

Location: Playa Avellanas, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Year: 2018
Area: 620 m2

The NMF Residence is a contemporary house that evokes and celebrates traditional architecture such as the Hacienda house in Guanacaste, one of the typical manifestations of architecture in the northwest region of Costa Rica.

Guanacaste’s vernacular architecture is a faithful reflection of knowledge and adaptation to the adverse climatic conditions of the Pacific plains of Guanacaste, a warm and dry climate under the scorching sun. This tradition is now reinterpreted to create a modern design, of geometric figures that allow the separation of environments and open internal spaces to the outdoors.

The NMF Residence is conceived and configured as a large central open space at double height, with movable glass floor-to-ceiling panels, evoking that opening that dilutes the boundaries between the interior and exterior spaces. On the sides, there are two volumes of concrete that contain this vacuum one at each end of the house; where the services are located on one side and the bedrooms on the other, all articulated in harmony by a large floating roof.

This double-height vacuum, in conjunction with the folding glass paneling, allows the space to be ventilated naturally when open. Better yet, it provides an environment that incorporates the exterior landscape into the interior of the project, fusing in a balance the external dry landscape with the comfortable and shaded area of the interior, where the breeze flows on hot days. Having incorporated the refreshing pool intentionally in front of this vacuum, these winds are cooled by it before flowing into the home. A large roof built with local material, which appears to be floating, confines this powerful space and provides shade, a thermal mattress and therefore comfort.

The result is a visually pleasing house, a radical experience of integration between interior and exterior, comfortable, where the interior is protected from the warm and sunny climate of the exterior via passive strategies, separating the most intimate spaces from the common and work areas, and allowing a harmonious balance with the environment surrounding this impressive work.

Location: Santa Teresa, Puntarenas, Costa Rica 
Year: 2019
Area: 295 m2


Mendi House is a duplex block located in Santa Teresa, one of the most developed beach towns in Costa Rica’s central pacific coast. The area has become a popular destination for foreign and local visitors, making it a hotspot for tourism year-round.  

The site has a sloping topography and the only access point is located in the uppermost part of the terrain. It adjoins a residential lot in the northern side of the property and offers ocean views to the west. The surrounding area is mostly covered in vegetation with the exception of a few neighboring houses.

The project seeks to bridge the gap between interior and exterior. Compact apartment layouts are coupled with courtyards in the bathrooms, allowing natural light to fill the space and cross ventilation to occur. All apartments face west towards the ocean view and have kitchenette and dining areas in exterior spaces. These are set in overhangs for the upper level apartments and on terraces for the lower level ones.

The material palette includes painted and exposed concrete, corten steel, wooden louvers and interiors, and glass. Each duplex has a pool, exterior showers, laundry and storage areas, and separate accesses for each apartment.

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: 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: 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: 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.

Location: Santa Ana, San José, Costa Rica 
Year: 2019
Area: 1,452 m2

Villaflor is a residential project in Santa Ana, Costa Rica. Santa Ana is a suburb of the capital city of San José. The area offers a combination of traditional Costa Rican culture and modern residential and commercial developments.

The site has a mild slope with the lowest part of the terrain located at the entrance in the northern edge and the highest point in the southern edge. It holds 2 existing houses situated in the northern sector of the property. The lot starts with a narrow strip of land and widens at the middle. The southern sector of the site is almost double the size of the northern one.

The project consists of 2 identical duplexes positioned in different levels. In the first floor, a central, load baring wall divides each duplex and precedes a courtyard for each residence. Service rooms are coupled together and positioned in the central area of each apartment. Common spaces such as the kitchen and living room are laid out facing north towards the terraces and garden. The upper level holds 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a TV room. Residences do not share a wall in the second floor so as to offer more privacy.

The material palette combines brickwork, concrete, glass and stone masonry for exterior facades and wood and concrete for the interiors. A wooden pergola structure leads the pathway towards the front entrances of each residence. Wooden and metallic louvers are also used as parasols.