Atelier Villa in Costa Rica by Formafatal Architects

Completed in 2019 by Formafatal Architects, Atelier Villa is a minimalistic tropical house in Costa Rica. The project is part of the Art Villas Resort, which includes villas done in collaboration with Refuel works and Archwerk studio.

Atelier Villa Technical Information

Architects: Formafatal
Team: Dagmar Štěpánová, Martina Homolková
Location: Bahia Ballena, Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica
Topics: Blurring boundaries, Tropical Architecture
Area: 326 m2
Site size: 25,000 m2
Project Year: 2017 – 2019
Collaborators: Atelier Flera, Different Design, Můj Originál
Photographs: © BoysPlayNice

The first and foremost priority is not only the idea of “erasing boundaries between interior and exterior” but also highlighting constructional simplicity and pure lines. Pura Vida; Pura Arquitectura.

– Formafatal Architects

Atelier Villa in Costa Rica Photographs

Aerial View - Atelier Villa in Costa Rica / Formafatal

Text by the Architects

Art Villas Costa Rica

Not far from Costa Rican town Uvita – there is a hidden small resort Art Villas on the jungle hill above the beach Playa Hermosa.
Three unique villas and one multifunctional pavilion are scattered over a plot of 2 ha. When the investor approached the architects, he wished to create a place where the visitors merge with the surrounding nature, clearing their mind, experiencing luxury and adventure at the same time. He wanted to create a place that digs deep into everyone’s heart when they taste it.
The architects from the Formafatal studio followed the client’s assignment and were also inspired by the atmosphere and colorfulness of Central and South America.

Atelier Villa

Atelier Villa was designed as a private residence for the investor and his family. Nestled against a steep slope, the 26-meter-long prismatic object partially levitates over lush tropical vegetation. Looking outside, there is only the distant ocean or green hills as far as the eye can see; the back wall facing the driveway and the neighboring villas is intentionally windowless, to maintain privacy.
The first and foremost priority is not only the idea of “erasing boundaries between interior and exterior” but also highlighting constructional simplicity and pure lines (Pura Vida >> Pura Arquitectura).

The constructional system consists of a steel frame with a span of 4x4m. Discreet wall colors, in combination with the green roof, allow the villa to blend in with its surroundings. The ocean and jungle-oriented façades are fitted with large-size aluminum perforated sections, which a) do not heat up in the sun, and b) are rust-resistant. If pulled up, they double as canopies.

The scale and pattern of the perforations are different in each of the sections, thus creating an exciting play of light and shadow inside. The panels’ special coating is in the color of COR-TEN. The full-back wall is in charred timber cladding treated with Shou Sugi Ban, an old Japanese technique of weather- and age-proofing the wood.

Disposition-wise, the villa possesses the same minimalistic spirit as its shape suggests. The utility and storage rooms, bathrooms, and the kitchen are placed along the back wall. The layout of the rest of the house is very open; the boundaries between the inside and the outside world are gone, and the whole space seems like a roofed terrace. Lightweight sliding partition walls may serve as a tool to create private zones and shake the space up as needed. The patio reveals an infinity pool, partly roofed and therefore protected from the scorching sun.

The whole interior is in warm, earthy tones of natural materials. All of the furnishings, apart from the lounge and dining chairs, are tailor-designed for this villa and custom-made. Commissioned in the area, the major part of the furniture was made with the help of local artisans. Some components were custom-made in the Czech Republic and transported to the site.
As for the Czech manufacturers, we decided to opt for the renowned Czech glass-making company Bomma and their Shibari lights that go hand in hand with the overall tropical feel of the interiors.