Costa Rican architecture practice VOID has completed a residence on a hilly terrain of Costa Rican jungle. 

Named Guarumo, the 797-square-metre house is comprised of staggered concrete volumes that frame the views overlooking at this tropical landscape.

Designed as a contemporary residence located on the Costa Rican Pacific coast, where the characteristic tropical landscape is harmoniously combined with modern, the architects conceived as a "simple and discreet architecture" that is adapted to its own context.

Located on a steep hillside, the studio placed the house by considering its architectural program, which was an essential parameter guaranteeing natural light and the views.

The house is comprised of staggering blocks favoring a real adaptation to the topography of the site, while minimizing the impact to the soils and avoiding large movements of land and expensive retaining walls. 

The architects' aim on the project was to capitalize on the spectacular views of both the ocean and the dense natural landscape that surrounds it.

At the heart of Guarumo, there is 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," said VOID. 

This common area features various amenities, such as an infinity pool that reflects a perfect sunset, the bar / barbeque area and its terrace that extends over the treetops. As the team highlights, "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," according to the team. 

"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," added the firm.

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.

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.

Floor plan

Floor plan

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Elevation

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Project facts

Project name: Guarumo 

Architects: VOID opd

Location: Santa Teresa, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Date: 2020

Developer: Stealth Development 

Area: 796.55 m2

All images © Leonardo Finotti

All drawings © VOID

> via VOID