Costa Rica Treehouse, Santa Teresa Home, Caribbean Passive Building, Architecture Images
Costa Rica Treehouse in Santa Teresa
Coastal Real Estate and Pool Project in Costa Rica, Central America ? design by Olson Kundig, architects
18 Apr 2019
Costa Rica Treehouse
Architects: Olson Kundig
Location: Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

Costa Rica Treehouse is inspired by the jungle of this densely forested site on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Built entirely of teak wood harvested on-site, the retreat engages with the jungle at each of its three levels: at the forest floor, the middle floor is nestled within the trees, and the top level rises above the tree canopy with views of the surf at nearby Playa Hermosa beach.

The clients are surfers as well as avid environmentalists, and this project reflects their deep commitment to sustainable land management in Costa Rica. Designed as an open-air surfer hut, the project engages the Costa Rican landscape in various ways, from the vegetation accessible just off the main floor, to the larger weather and surf patterns one can experience on the top level.
Designed to operate passively, the home is intended to breathe and remain open to the elements in this temperate semi-tropic environment.

The top and bottom floors are completely open to the elements with a double-screen operable wood shutter system, allowing daylight and natural ventilation, but also privacy and security when the owners are away. Shading, a 3.5-kW photovoltaic array, a...