Formafatal ventures deep into the Costa Rican jungle with Studio House, a spectacular retreat

Studio House is set deep within the densely forested coastline of Costa Rica – a strikingly elemental residence designed by Dagmar Štěpánová of Formafatal. The multiple award-winning architecture studio, which has outposts in both Costa Rica and the Czech Republic, has created a residence without clearly defined boundaries, its angular concrete forms pushing into the verdant hillside.

Enter the Costa Rican jungle, and Studio House

Štěpánová describes the project as a ‘simple yet spatially rich residence that creates unique moments at every turn – [it is] born from the harmony of architecture and place…. visually and spatially open yet wrapped in a green mantle that protects its intimacy and fragility.’ The 125 square metre project was designed as her own permanent home, as well as serving as a ‘seasonal retreat’ for friend and partner Karel Vančura.

With such a personal project, the architect had scope to experiment, starting with the structure that anchors the two-structure structure into the sloping site. By raising the upper floor living area above a compact ground floor, the house appears to float above the greenery – the small footprint required by the foundations preserved nearby mature trees.

The entrance is on the upper floor, leading from a terrace into a long open plan kitchen, dining and living area aligned north-south. To the south is the ocean, with a terrace opening out from the living space. There’s also space to sit out on the flat roof, and the remote jungle setting and less stringent safety regulations has enabled the architects to do away with any balustrades or railings, keeping the view unobstructed.

Whilst the other openings in the living room have sliding panels of glass, the south-facing window is completely open to the elements. ‘A living scene, shifting with every moment of the day, flows through the house and merges back into the surrounding jungle,’ says Štěpánová , ‘All present jungle, air, sound, and light awaken all senses, dissolving the boundaries between interior and exterior. Instead of a passive observer looking through a window, one becomes a part of it.’

The monumental kitchen counter is formed from poured concrete, a technique that has also been used to create the generous in situ barbeque on the east terrace, where it stands like a small architectural barrier against the dense jungle.

From this terrace, a staircase made from folded Corten steel leads to the roof, whilst another stair leads down to the triangular 10m infinity pool, which tapers to a point as the vegetation takes over.

On the lower floor are two identical cell-like bedrooms, alongside a bathroom (tucked beneath the entrance platform) and a store and utility space. There’s another terrace here, leading directly to the pool – this is the only access way to the bedrooms.

Inside, furnishings are minimal with an emphasis on hard-wearing materials that will wear and patinate over time. Štěpánová has included paintings by artists Josef Achrer Jr and Lukáš Musil, along with textiles from Prague-based Studio Geometr.

The new house is located on the same plot as Achioté, Formafatal’s earlier pair of Costa Rican retreats.

Formafatal.cz