Costafrica

Four residences near Playa Grande, each placed to one edge of its lot to open a continuous garden and pool zone, unified by a trellis canopy with glass roof that shelters the outdoor terrace.

Costafrica is a group of four residences within easy walking distance of Playa Grande Beach in Guanacaste — one of Costa Rica's most iconic stretches of coastline, known for its national park, leatherback turtle nesting, and world-class surf. Each house occupies a rectangular lot of approximately 1,000 m², and by placing the building to one edge of the site rather than at its centre, the design opens up a continuous garden and outdoor living zone that faces the pool directly. A glass roof with wood-slat trellis elements projects out over the pool, providing filtered shelter from sun and rain and casting a dappled light pattern across the terrace below. A swing suspended from this canopy over a shallow portion of the pool has become a favourite with families. The garden is a mix of lush tropical planting immediately around the house and lower-water endemic species at the perimeter — chosen to attract birds and butterflies, provide privacy from the neighbourhood, and require minimal irrigation during Guanacaste's long dry season.

Each house steps with the natural fall of its site, producing a one-and-a-half-height living space with an open kitchen and bar counter at the lower level. A projecting balcony and deep roof overhang on the upper floor provide shade and weather protection to the spaces below. The roof is a white heat-reflective standing seam metal that wraps continuously down to become part of the perimeter wall — a single material gesture that gives each house its character from the street. An internal skylight brings natural light to the stairwell where proximity to the property boundary prevents windows. A solar hot water heater and the air-conditioning condensers are mounted together on an elevated roof platform, keeping mechanical equipment out of sight and noise away from the living spaces below. All windows are double-glazed — two layers of insulation that conserve energy in the humid coastal climate. Wastewater is recycled for garden irrigation. Ceiling fans run in every bedroom and social space, and a large industrial fan in the main living room keeps the home cool without mechanical cooling for most of the year. The landscape provides privacy from the neighbourhood while creating a green and sheltered garden that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies throughout the year, and continues to receive water passively during the dry periods through careful species selection.