Studio Saxe

Santiago Hills Villa

Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner

SANTIAGO HILLS VILLA

Studio Saxe

ARCHITECTS
Studio Saxe

ELECTROMECHANICAL ENGINEER
CIEM

BUILDER
Sebastian Patenaude

CLIENTS
Partners of Santiago Hills Villa

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Guidi Estructurales

DESIGN DIRECTOR
Benjamin G. Saxe

PHOTOGRAPHS
Andres Garcia Lachner

AREA
400 m²

YEAR
2020

LOCATION
Santa Teresa Beach, Costa Rica

CATEGORY
House

Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner

Wing-like roofline houses a dramatic white villa in Costa Rica jungle. Studio Saxe was commissioned to design a villa on the hilltops of Santiago in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica.

Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner

The primary objective was not only to provide dwellers with a connection with its jungle surroundings but also to generate an intimate relationship. 

With an amazing view of the shoreline which brings its dwellers back to a more profound appreciation of the natural world.

Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner

Concept. Studio Saxe decided to create a large roof that would house within a series of bedrooms and living spaces that would all be turned sideways in order to face the prominent views.

Interstitial spaces within the living volumes create gaps that enhance a deeper connection to the natural surroundings whilst moving about the dwelling.

Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner

Design. Every space in the home has been angled to view the ocean, and this twist creates a geometric relationship between the roofline and the spaces that became the primary element of design.

That both addresses the need for large overhangs (for climate control and comfort) but also generates a literal connection between the view and every space.

Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner

This white house in the jungle acts as a canvas so that morning and sunset light reflect on its surfaces creating an array of colors that vary throughout the day.

The angled surfaces also allow for the reflection of shadows and the textures of nature to play within the interstitial spaces that exist between the living spaces.

Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner

Due to the remoteness of the location and difficult access, Studio Saxe decided to create a light steel frame that could be prefabricated off-site, brought, and assembled in a fast and effective way.

This not only ensured the quality of the construction in a very remote location, but it also allowed the process of construction to be very light touch and the intervention on the site to be very minimal.

Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner

While creating the sensation of large open spaces that bring the view in and at the same time are protected by a large roof held by steel “I” beams.

Sustainability. At Studio Saxe we believe that proper design with nature should be the first focus of sustainability and thus, this villa has been oriented properly to take advantage of predominant winds for cooling.

Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner

Also, long overhangs protect from the sun and the rain in the most critical parts of the day creating comfort without the use of energy.

A light touch construction method meant that the impact on the site was minimal during the implementation of the villa and the extended roofline also serves as a means to collect water and energy generation.

Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner


Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner
Santiago Hills Villa
© Andres Garcia Lachner


Santiago Hills Villa
Front elevation
Santiago Hills Villa
Right elevation


Santiago Hills Villa
Section
Santiago Hills Villa
Section


Santiago Hills Villa
First floor plan
Santiago Hills Villa
Master plan


Santiago Hills Villa
Concept sketch
Santiago Hills Villa
Concept sketch
Santiago Hills Villa
Concept sketch

Studio Saxe
T +506 4030 6053
Studio Saxe
Av. 9, San José, Nunciatura, Costa Rica