Las Catalinas

A four-level home on a corner lot in Las Catalinas, with a colonial exterior following the town's guidelines and a floating concrete stair connecting a basement screening room, guest floors, master suite, and rooftop saltwater pool.

Las Catalinas is a planned New Urbanist beach town on Costa Rica's North Pacific coast. The project occupies a prominent corner lot on Calle Virginia — a site with ocean views and a visible presence within the town's pedestrian streetscape. Following the town's strict architectural guidelines, the exterior reads as a traditional colonial building: white stucco walls, dark-framed windows, and tiled rooflines that sit naturally alongside the neighbourhood.

Inside, the home unfolds across four levels connected by a floating concrete stair. The basement holds a private screening room; the ground floor opens to the entry foyer and two guest bedrooms; the second floor is given over to a kitchen, dining area, and master suite; and the roof terrace is home to a saltwater pool with a glass viewing window, a lounge, and a BBQ with panoramic ocean views. Client Nila — a former board member of Gensler — collaborated closely on the interiors, contributing commissioned artwork and a rigorous material palette: board-formed concrete walls, cana brava ceilings, and a 16-foot concrete kitchen island anchoring the living level.