Intro:

The client initially came to us with an unusual request: a house with no kitchen. Although it would have been a unique creative challenge, we convinced the clients that, for both practical and resale reasons, it would be a good idea to at least have a kitchen small enough to go unnoticed, but big enough to make an omelette.

Elsewhere, we included a linear plank-like walkway that connects the main spaces of the house to (what we like to call) the finger terrace, which is pointing out towards the view, where they could eat said omelette. Alternatively, they could eat it in the family room, which they nicknamed “the monkey room” because it faces the natural reserve. Of course, they could enjoy all of this just easily with takeout.

Description:

In the Papagayo peninsula, surrounded by the tropical forest of Guanacaste, is the house named Indios Desnudos. It takes it’s name after some trees on the site which make up focal points of the house.

A house is designed to enjoy outdoor living and the views. Because of this, it is designed to be comfortable without the (optional) use of air conditioning. The internal spaces are integrated with the exteriors, which makes being in the interior feels like being outside.

All living spaces have a view of the sea or the forest reserve. It has its main access via a lobby from which you can see the social area and the view to the sea. From here you can use the wooden boardwalk-like walkways that hover above scattered river stones that make up the two axes of circulation that structure the floor plan, or use the stairs to get to the two main bedrooms via bridges.

The main double-height space contains living room, dining room and kitchen and opens with large windows towards the pool terrace and towards the Forest Reserve where one of several Indios Desnudos is framed. The window opens with sliding doors erasing any barrier between the interior and the terrace. The pool merges with a water/terrace/ mirror that surrounds an outside living room in its entirety.  It is located below the master bedroom and framed by a set of diagonal columns. This shaded “island” is the pivot of the social area, located in a strategic place near the kitchen and receives the sea breezes and enjoys magnificent views of both the forest and the sea.

Through the main bridge on second floor which crosses the double height of the social space, you reach the master bedroom, which enjoys the same view and breezes as the island. The second bedroom upstairs is reached by a secondary bridge that runs parallel to the same space from which you can also enjoy views to the sea.

The ground floor bedrooms overlook the forest reserve. They are reached via another of the wooden walkways that ends in family room, named by the owner the “monkey room”. From this small cosy space, this walkway crosses a narrow skylit space of variable height, that opens to the double height social area on one side and on the other, towards the forest that is reflected in the mirror of water. It continues outside and passes next to the main terrace and the outdoor terrace ”island”, and ends on a balcony that is projected over the treetops towards the sea and sunset.

It is a journey rich in sensations produced by the diversity of spaces, by the quality of light, and by differences in heights, scales and views.

Indios Desnudos is, in short, a house designed to live abroad enjoying the breeze of the sea, the sun, the sea views and a forest full of tropical and wild flora and fauna

Casa Indios Desnudos Bursera simaruba

Location: Peninsula Papagayo, Guanacaste.
2014

Diseño: Arq. Victor Cañas
Equipo de diseño:
Arq. Sara Araya, Arq. Andrés Cañas, Arq. Ricardo Chaves.
Diseño  Estrutural: Ing. Ricardo Solano
Diseño Electromecánico: Termo Aire
Paisajismo: Arquitectura Abiental+Paisajismo, Arq. Alberto Negrini.
Constructora: CONSTRUCTOM
Fotografía: Arq.Victor Cañas, Arq. Ricardo Chaves,
Jordi Miralles.