Studio Saxe has completed Villa Nuri, a striking residential project situated on a narrow slope in Costa Rica's lush landscape, where natural sunlight and dense forests shape the rhythm of daily living. The innovative home features a series of elevated rooms and terraces that carefully adapt to the land's contours while directing residents' attention toward the expansive ocean horizon.
The upper floor functions as the main social hub, strategically organized to capture the most unobstructed ocean views. Large glass panels open to create long sightlines, while thoughtfully designed shaded overhangs frame the ever-changing atmospheric conditions above the water. The living spaces extend seamlessly toward a planted terrace and a slender swimming pool that projects dramatically outward from the structure, creating the sensation of floating among the forest canopy.
Below this elevated platform, secondary bedrooms occupy a middle level that follows the natural slope and aligns harmoniously with the tree line. This thoughtful configuration ensures that each room faces the landscape without visual interruption. Service areas are strategically placed at the base of the structure, providing the building with a grounded presence while allowing the upper volumes to maintain a light and open feeling.
The architects at Studio Saxe addressed the challenges of the narrow site by stepping the architecture in carefully measured increments. A substantial horizontal base carries the heavier structural elements of the house and supports a steel-framed upper level. The deliberate shift from concrete and stone materials below to timber and open metalwork above creates a gradual transition in both weight and visual tone as one moves upward through the building.
Cross ventilation flows efficiently through long corridors and high ceilings, enhanced by open facades on two sides of the structure. The planted terrace softens the edge of the upper floor and creates a seamless merger between indoor and outdoor living areas, while the dramatic cantilevered pool extends the living experience further across the sloping terrain.
Villa Nuri introduces a calm interior sequence that draws inspiration from traditional Costa Rican craftsmanship and the surrounding forest environment. A striking green wall marks the main entrance, establishing an immediate visual connection with the abundant vegetation. Inside, classic black-and-white tiles recall traditional domestic patterns found throughout Costa Rica, while warm timber surfaces bring comfort and character to the circulation paths.
Color is employed with careful intention throughout the interior spaces. Cobalt blue furnishings echo the colors of the nearby sea and sky, establishing quiet moments of visual saturation within an otherwise restrained color palette. Strategic openings along the corridors maintain consistent airflow, keeping the interior spaces comfortable throughout the day while allowing the sounds of birds and other ambient natural sounds to flow freely through the living spaces.
The house employs an environmentally conscious approach, relying primarily on passive cooling strategies, carefully shaded apertures, and the beneficial microclimate created by the surrounding dense vegetation. Stone and timber materials help maintain steady interior temperatures year-round, and solar exposure is carefully moderated throughout the design to significantly reduce overall energy demand. Solar panels supply clean power to the upper level, supporting an efficient daily rhythm for the residents.
Vegetation strategically placed across the multiple terraces filters both light and air circulation, producing subtle but noticeable changes in temperature as one moves through different areas of the house. These sustainable design strategies give Villa Nuri a natural ease that feels entirely consistent with its dramatic hillside setting.
The innovative project combines a solid concrete foundation base with a prefabricated steel framework system above. This hybrid construction approach allows the house to address the challenging hillside terrain with architectural precision while opening the upper level to expansive views of both the ocean and surrounding mountains. The design team carefully adjusted materials according to their specific function: the base level remains sheltered and enclosed for privacy and protection, while the upper areas rely on lighter structural elements to achieve maximum openness toward the spectacular natural surroundings.
The homeowner expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration and the final result, stating: "I saw an article about Casa Flotanta years ago and thought it was such an incredible house. So when I bought the lot and began searching for an architect, I knew I had to find the person who designed it. I visited the website and was immediately drawn to the projects I found there. When I finally met Benjamin, I realized he was not only a brilliant architect but also someone with an open mind, someone I could truly collaborate with on the house."
The client's favorite feature of the completed home is the dramatic cantilevered pool, explaining: "My favorite place in the house is floating at the end of the cantilevered pool. I can look out at the beautiful view while floating ten meters over the ground. I'm almost like a bird! I can then turn around and appreciate the beautiful architecture of the house." This remarkable architectural achievement demonstrates how thoughtful design can create harmony between built structures and natural environments while providing residents with an extraordinary living experience suspended between the forest canopy and ocean views.
