A clear, visual, and highly detailed process for complex projects.

Every project begins with a conversation about what you want to build, how you want to live in it, and what the property allows. We listen carefully to your brief — functional requirements, aesthetic preferences, lifestyle priorities, budget boundaries — and begin to form a shared understanding of what this project can be.

This phase also includes an initial site visit, where we assess the land, orientation, views, topography, access, and any immediate constraints. We leave with enough to begin, and you leave with a clear sense of what the design process will involve.

Before any design begins, we study the land in depth. This includes solar orientation and shadow analysis across seasons, prevailing winds, natural drainage patterns, vegetation and tree canopy, views to preserve and views to screen, existing access points, and proximity to services and infrastructure.

In Costa Rica, site analysis must also account for setback regulations, coastal zone rules, protected species, and slope stability. We compile this into a clear site analysis document that becomes the foundation for every design decision that follows.

With a strong understanding of the brief and the site, we develop the first design proposals. These are not final designs — they are explorations. We typically present two or three schematic options that interpret your brief in different ways, allowing you to respond to what resonates and what doesn't.

Schematics include floor plan layouts, massing studies, key section cuts, and conceptual mood imagery. We review these with you in a dedicated session, gather your feedback, and agree on a design direction to develop further.

The chosen schematic is now developed into a complete architectural design. Floor plans are refined to final dimensions, elevations and sections are drawn in full, structural systems are coordinated, and material and finish selections begin. This phase also includes early MEP coordination — mechanical, electrical, and plumbing — to ensure systems are integrated into the design rather than added after the fact.

By the end of design development, the project looks and feels resolved. You have a full understanding of what will be built, how it will look, and how it will function. Three-dimensional renders or physical models may be produced at this stage to support client review and decision-making.

Interior design at Inverse Project is not a separate service added at the end — it is woven into the design process from early schematic stages. We develop interior concepts alongside the architecture, ensuring that spatial quality, material continuity, and light are considered as a whole.

This phase formalises those decisions into a complete interior specification: flooring, wall finishes, ceiling treatments, joinery and cabinetry design, door and hardware schedules, lighting design, and finish boards for client review. We work with a curated network of Costa Rican suppliers and craftspeople to source materials that are appropriate to the climate and the quality of the project.

The landscape is not a frame for the building — it is part of the project. We design outdoor spaces with the same rigour we bring to interiors: grading and drainage, planting strategies that work with the local climate, pool and water feature integration, outdoor living areas, lighting, and pathways.

In Costa Rica, landscape design must account for rainfall, erosion risk, root systems, fire resistance, and the presence of wildlife corridors. We work with native and endemic species where possible, and design landscapes that mature beautifully over time rather than looking completed on day one.

Technical documentation is where design intent becomes buildable instruction. We produce a full set of construction drawings: architectural plans, sections, elevations, and details at every scale; structural drawings coordinated with the engineer of record; MEP drawings; joinery and millwork shop drawings; and a complete technical specification document.

The quality of documentation directly determines the quality of construction and the accuracy of contractor pricing. We invest heavily in this phase because vague drawings produce vague quotes and vague buildings. Our documentation sets are thorough, cross-referenced, and produced with the complexity of Costa Rican construction in mind.

The Costa Rican permit process is layered, time-sensitive, and highly technical. Applications pass through the CFIA (Federación de Colegios de Profesionales Técnicos de Costa Rica), the municipality, SETENA for environmental impact, and potentially AyA, ICE, MOPT, or SINAC depending on the project and its location. Each authority has its own requirements, formats, and review timelines.

We manage this process from submission to approval. We know the current requirements, maintain relationships with reviewers, and track applications actively. We prepare all required documents in-house, respond to technical queries, and keep you informed throughout. For most projects in Costa Rica, permit timelines range from two to four months — planning for this is part of our service from the very first phase.

With permits in hand and a complete documentation set, the project goes to tender. We prepare a formal tender package and issue it to a curated list of pre-qualified contractors — builders we have worked with before or have assessed for the specific demands of your project.

We manage the tender process: answering contractor queries, issuing addenda where needed, reviewing submitted pricing, and preparing a detailed tender comparison that allows you to evaluate bids on a like-for-like basis. We make a recommendation and support you through contract negotiation, ensuring the selected builder understands the scope fully before work begins.

Construction oversight is one of our most valued services. We make regular site visits — typically weekly or fortnightly depending on phase and complexity — to review work in progress against the drawings and specification. We issue formal site reports after each visit, record observations, raise non-conformances, and track resolution.

We also manage the flow of information during construction: responding to RFIs from the contractor, issuing supplementary drawings and details as needed, reviewing and approving shop drawings and material samples, and assessing progress claims. Our goal is a building that matches the design intent — not a reasonable interpretation of it.

As construction progresses, we manage the procurement and coordination of furniture, fixtures, and equipment. This includes sourcing, ordering, tracking lead times, coordinating delivery schedules with the contractor, and managing any custom or bespoke pieces through fabrication and installation.

We prepare a full FF&E schedule for each project — every item specified, priced, sourced, and tracked — and manage the budget against it. For projects with international procurement, we coordinate customs clearance, delivery logistics, and on-site assembly. The goal is a home that is complete and ready to live in from day one.

As the project approaches completion, we conduct a formal defects inspection — a systematic walk-through of every space and element against the specification and drawings. We compile a defects list, issue it to the contractor, and track resolution through to sign-off. Only when all items are resolved do we recommend final payment to the builder.

We also support the occupancy certificate process, coordinate handover documentation — warranties, maintenance manuals, as-built drawings, municipal certificates — and ensure you receive everything you need to understand and maintain your property. This phase closes the construction chapter and marks the beginning of the building's life.

Communication is not a phase that begins and ends — it runs through every other phase on this list. We believe that clear, timely, and honest communication is one of the most important things an architect can offer. We use a combination of regular video calls, written project updates, shared drawing registers, and site reports to keep you informed and in control.

For international clients managing projects remotely, communication is the service. We act as your eyes and ears on the ground, representing your interests at every stage and ensuring that distance does not become a disadvantage. We structure updates so you always know the current status, the next decisions required, and any risks on the horizon.