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A newly redesigned Costa Rica house bridges softness and drama. Created by Greg Melitonov Kahn of New York-based Taller KEN, the project showcases how midcentury principles can evolve in measured confidence: modernist architecture softened by time, clarity warmed by feeling. Many architects find inspiration in the 20th-century's legacy, but Melitonov Kahn, the grandson of Louis Kahn, shows just how legend hasn’t simply endured; it has rippled forward, finding fresh resonance.
Casa Contenta, a 3,500 sq ft, three-bedroom residence in Costa Rica, is his most recent work – a significant adaptive renovation of a 15-year-old property, reworking its geometry through symmetry and elevating the routes inside into a quiet ritual.
Tour this Costa Rica house by Greg Melitonov Kahn
The main clay tile roof is original to the house and was preserved, but the architect replaced the existing segmental arches with fully pronounced, circular ones. This immediately brought clarity and a better-defined flow to the house. Melitonov Kahn also rebuilt the swimming pool, keeping it symmetrical in relation to the house's main axis. ‘All corridors and pergolas were redesigned using lighter wood tones and straighter lines, creating a deliberate contrast with the curves and rustic character of the original structure,’ says Kahn.
Where the original entrance stood, a large circular arched door now sets the tone, allowing the cadence of repeated forms to begin at the very threshold. He describes the result as 'subtly sacred,' almost temple-like in its composure.
Meanwhile, perched above sea level, the house has an almost cinematic relationship with the Pacific. ‘This condition strongly influenced the orientation of the main spaces (with all three bedrooms facing the ocean), which are aligned to frame the horizon and maximise visual continuity,’ explains Kahn.
Inside, Taller KEN’s renovation recasts the existing Spanish-style shell in a palette perfected to Costa Rica’s particular light: sun-washed yellows, shifting blues, and the saturated greens of coastal vegetation. The furnishing strategy is equally considered. ‘We worked closely with our partner at the time, Kamalio, who had a commercial relationship with [furniture company] Tribù,’ says Kahn.
The kitchen cabinetry was supplied by Veneta Cucine, another Kamalio partner, while smaller, more playful pieces were sourced from Laurel DD, a local designer and furniture supplier. Even the flooring carries its own sense of place. A chequered pool finish, and a similar pattern that runs through the outdoor areas and into the kitchen, nod to a familiar motif in traditional Costa Rican homes.
Wildlife is a constant presence here; howler monkeys and colourful macaws thread through the surrounding canopy. To further preserve the ecosystem, most of the original trees were retained, with additional planting introduced to reinforce the landscape.
‘In Costa Rica, the common expression "Pura Vida", speaks to a laid-back and optimistic lifestyle that for us mirrors our own relationship with the coast,’ avers Kahn. ‘For us, it is a place of relaxation, vacation, and happiness, and it is from this sensibility that the name Casa Contenta emerged.’
