Architecture & Interior Design in Costa Rica

Welcome to the Jungle! Casa Contenta, nestled in the stunning landscape of Islita, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, epitomizes a harmonious blend of contemporary architecture and the natural beauty of its surroundings. This residential project is designed to provide a tranquil oasis, fostering a deep connection between indoor living spaces and the lush environment. With a focus on comfort, functionality, and aesthetic appeal, Casa Contenta is an exemplary model of modern tropical living.

A pair of tropical homes designed to merge architecture, interiors, and landscape into one seamless experience. Two interconnected volumes balance solidity and openness, using textured masonry and vertical wood screens to frame light, breeze, and views of the surrounding forest. Taller Ken crafted the interior design with a warm, tactile palette—natural hardwoods, handcrafted tiles, terrazzo, and custom millwork—creating spaces that feel refined yet deeply connected to place. Sliding glass panels extend the social areas into shaded terraces and outdoor dining spaces, embracing Nosara’s climate and lifestyle. Casa Kallo is a relaxed, immersive retreat shaped by materiality, light, and the rhythms of coastal living.

Casa V is located in San Jose and set into a hillside that opens up towards a backyard with a tropical bamboo surround. The modern residential property was designed by local firm Parq Architecture, while the interior design was carried out by Taller KEN, which has offices in San José, Guatemala City and New York. It was created as a primary residence for a couple who collects contemporary Latin American art which adorns the residence.

Design studios Zürcher Arquitectos and Taller KEN took cues from the lush forests around San José while designing this courtyard house. Casa Las Vistas is set into a hillside that overlooks the landscape surrounding Costa Rica's capital city.

Casamigos is conceived as a home for gathering—where architecture frames friendship, landscape, and shared experience. Organized around generous social spaces, the design encourages fluid movement between interior and exterior, dissolving boundaries to embrace light and nature. Warm materials and tactile finishes create an atmosphere of comfort and ease, while carefully composed volumes introduce rhythm and spatial clarity. Private areas offer moments of retreat, balancing openness with intimacy. Casamigos transforms domestic architecture into a setting for connection—where everyday life unfolds through warmth, discovery, and meaningful interaction.

This residence explores contrast as a spatial narrative—where warmth and depth meet clarity and light. Rich wood paneling wraps the social areas in a continuous architectural gesture, integrating storage, display, and art into a living backdrop that feels both curated and intimate. Against this textured envelope, sculptural furniture in vivid tones introduces moments of play and personality, activating the space with energy and softness. Expansive glazing dissolves boundaries between interior and landscape, drawing nature into daily life. In private areas, darker materials and controlled light create a contemplative atmosphere, transforming bathing and rest into immersive experiences. The project balances precision with warmth, creating a home that feels expressive yet grounded—an environment designed for connection, comfort, and discovery.

Set in a shopping district in the upscale neighborhood of Escazú, Costa Rica, 7 Bancas serves as a transition between a lush tropical garden and an adjacent bamboo forest and urban waterway. A renovation of a colonial farmhouse, the space feels intimate and sheltered even as sun streams in through the open roof. White walls and a quiet color palette directs attention outside to the bright tropical greens of the courtyard garden, and also above to the rainwater harvesting system that floats above the open roof, featuring a colorful mural painted by a local artist. Natural texture comes to the forefront throughout, as the original Spanish tiles mix with *formaleta* wood reclaimed from formwork to direct your sense of procession and spatial refinement through the space.

For this flagship retail space, design becomes a stage—bringing sensual brand identity into architectural form. Crisp spatial organization, rich materials, and subtle spatial surprises invite customers to explore and connect with the curated collection of fashion and accessories. 

A cultural venue that reimagines gallery space with an eye toward flexible curation, material tactility, and visitor engagement.

This restaurant is conceived as a contemporary tropical retreat—an architecture that breathes, opens, and connects directly to its surroundings. A pitched metal roof and exposed steel structure define a generous, naturally ventilated volume, while textured walls and ceiling fans reinforce a relaxed, climate-responsive approach. At the heart of the dining room, a central garden anchors the space. Lush vegetation grows directly from the floor, dissolving the boundary between interior and landscape and creating a calm, immersive atmosphere. Turquoise ceramic tiles bring vibrancy and freshness, contrasting with warm wood floors, soft upholstery, and handcrafted details. Large operable glass doors fold open to the terrace, allowing the restaurant to transition seamlessly from enclosed pavilion to open-air veranda. By day it feels light and airy; by night it glows warmly within the garden. The result is a sensory, welcoming restaurant where nature, material warmth, and contemporary detailing converge.

Overlooking a small bay in Costa Rica, Casa Monitos embraces the natural forms and textures of its surroundings. Architecturally, the residence is split between several independent structures connected through a central covered outdoor walkway. The interiors, designed by architects Taller KEN, reflect this permeability between interior and exterior, resulting in a home infused with delight and surprise.

An artistic intervention that reframes perception through space—eliciting sensory curiosity and interaction.

The club lounge offers a contemporary hospitality dining space surrounded by tropical greenery. Honey-colored walls are punctuated by bold jewel tones and the bright green of plants lining the walls and draped over custom overhead lighting fixtures. A custom steel-and-mirror lattice partitions the space without disrupting the open feel. Folding doors connect the interior dining area with the hotel’s ample grounds, opening onto a custom terrazzo patio and fire pit embraced by lush plantings.

Gracia explores hospitality as atmosphere—balancing intimacy, material richness, and spatial clarity. The project layers texture, light, and geometry to create a welcoming environment that feels both contemporary and grounded. Carefully framed transitions between public and private zones encourage fluid movement and quiet discovery, while curated details elevate everyday experience. Rather than spectacle, Gracia focuses on subtle moments of warmth and connection, transforming a familiar typology into a place defined by character, comfort, and enduring presence.

At Hotel Belmar, hospitality is shaped through landscape, light, and layered materiality. Rooted in its natural surroundings, the design enhances connection to place while elevating comfort and experience. Warm textures, crafted details, and carefully framed views create an atmosphere that feels intimate yet expansive. Public spaces invite gathering and quiet reflection, while guestrooms provide serene retreat. The project reinterprets boutique hospitality as an immersive environment—where architecture deepens the relationship between guest, setting, and memory.

A private residence where thoughtful material choices and open spatial flows create a calm, contemporary environment. Its simple yet expressive architectural gestures speak to tailored living designed for comfort and connection.

This residence balances refined modernity with a deep engagement to context and climate. Strategic openings and considered materials coalesce to make a sense of refuge that resonates with place.