Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal

Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal - Image 1 of 12 — © Fernando Alda

Written by Fabian Dejtiar | Translated by Maggie Johnson
Published on October 11, 2021

"Here in the tropics, shade is the prime air conditioner and, unlike the stove, it can be created everywhere," says Bruno Stagno about architecture for the tropics. In this sense, how has Costa Rica been "building" it's shade over the years?

Along with Costa Rica's many examples of modern concrete architecture, we wanted to highlight 10 examples that showcase the use of wood and metal. These projects offer straightforward climatic solutions such as draining rainwater and walls that permit air flow to create interior ventilation.

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Design Guidelines for Contemporary Tropical Architecture

Green life House / Pietro Stagno-Luz Letelier.

Year: 2003
Location: Escazú

Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal - Image 8 of 12 — © Sergio Pucci

Casa Kike / Gianni Botsford

Year: 2006
Location: Cahuita

Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal - Image 12 of 12 — © Christian Richters

Casa Atrevida / Luz de Piedra Arquitectos

Year: 2011
Location: Peninsula de Osa

Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal - Image 3 of 12 — © Sergio Pucci

K House / Datum Zero

Year: 2012
Location: Nosara

Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal - Image 6 of 12 — Cortesía de Datum Zero

Flotanta House / Benjamin Garcia Saxe Architecture

Year: 2013
Location: Puntarenas

Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal - Image 5 of 12 — © Garcia Lachner photography

Las Hojas House / OsArquitectura

Year: 2015
Location: Tamarindo

Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal - Image 11 of 12 — © Fernando Alda

House V / Arkosis

Year: 2016
Location: La Vega

Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal - Image 7 of 12 — © Roberto D´Ambrosio

Franceschi Container Houses / Re Arquitectura + DAO

Year: 2017
Location: Santa Ana

Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal - Image 4 of 12 — © Adam Baker

Esparza House / YUSO

Year: 2017
Location: San Rafael

Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal - Image 9 of 12 — © Roberto D´Ambrosio

Costa Rica Treehouse / Olson Kundig

Year: 2017
Location: Playa Hermosa

Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal - Image 10 of 12 — © Nic Lehoux

Check out more wooden houses in Costa Rica or our list of the best articles about wood.

Know any other articles that highlight metal and wood? Send them to us!

This article was originally published on January 23, 2020.

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Cite: Dejtiar, Fabian. "Houses in Costa Rica: Creating Shelter, Ventilation, and Shade Using Wood and Metal " [Casas en Costa Rica: Refugio, ventilación y sombra a través de madera y metal] 11 Oct 2021. ArchDaily. (Trans. Johnson, Maggie) Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/969604/houses-in-costa-rica-creating-shelter-ventilation-and-shade-using-wood-and-metal> ISSN 0719-8884