Casa Bell-Lloc is a stunning seafront residence located in Santa Teresa Beach, Costa Rica, designed in 2020 by Studio Saxe.

Description
Studio Saxe was commissioned to design a home perched on the hilltops of the town of Santa Teresa in Costa Rica. Due to the extreme pitch of the terrain, we decided to sink the private areas of bedrooms into the ground and thus allow the main living area to have the best expansive views on top with floating terraces and a pool.
Benjamin G. Saxe founder and Design Director of Studio Saxe explains: ?This project is a testament of how concrete can be used in Tropical Architecture to achieve low maintenance and longevity without losing openness and deep connections to nature beyond.?
Concept: In order to adapt to the topographic conditions, Studio Saxe decided to ?push? the house into the ground thus creating the illusion of a one-story house from the street and only revealing its true size once inside. A series of concrete walls shield the house and disguise what will later become a powerful choreographed entrance reveal of the pool and ocean beyond. Design: By keeping the public living spaces above and the more intimate bedrooms below, Studio Saxe used the innate characteristics provided by the site to determine the use of spaces. Every space that touches the ground is more solid and enclosed, and in contrast, every space above ground is open and ephemeral. A long overarching roofline protects the house and frames ...