villa nuri completes in lush costa rica
Studio Saxe‘s newly completed Villa Nuri occupies a narrow slope in Costa Rica where sunlight and lush forests guide the flow of daily life. The home presents a sequence of elevated rooms and terraces that adjust to the land while directing attention out toward the horizon.
The upper floor serves as the primary social zone, organized to capture the clearest ocean views. Here, glazing opens to long sightlines, and shaded overhangs frame the changing atmosphere above the water. Living areas extend toward a planted terrace and a slender pool that projects outward, giving the feeling of floating in the canopy.
Below this elevated platform, secondary bedrooms occupy a middle level that follows the slope and aligns with the line of trees. The configuration allows each room to face the landscape without interruption. Service areas are placed at the base, giving the structure a grounded presence while allowing the upper volumes to feel light and open.
images © Alvaro Fonseca – Depth Lens
studio saxe’s stepping home for a sloping site
The architects at Studio Saxe worked with the narrow site by stepping the architecture in measured increments. A horizontal base carries the heavier elements of the house and supports a steel-framed upper level. The shift from concrete and stone below to timber and open metalwork above creates a gradual change in weight and tone as one moves upward.
Cross ventilation flows through long corridors and high ceilings, aided by open facades on two sides. The planted terrace softens the edge of the upper floor and merges indoor and outdoor areas, while the cantilevered pool extends the experience further across the slope.
Villa Nuri sits on a Costa Rican hillside shaped by shifting terrain and ocean views
interiors respond to costa rican context
Villa Nuri introduces a calm interior sequence that draws from Costa Rican craft and the surrounding forest. A green wall marks the entrance, establishing an immediate connection with vegetation. Inside, black-and-white tiles recall traditional domestic patterns, and timber surfaces bring warmth to the circulation paths.
Color is used with intention. Cobalt furnishings echo the sea and sky, establishing quiet moments of saturation within the restrained palette. Openings along the corridors maintain airflow, keeping the interior comfortable throughout the day while allowing birds and ambient sounds to pass through freely.
the upper floor gathers social areas around a planted terrace and a cantilevered pool
an environmentally-minded approach
The house relies on passive cooling, shaded apertures, and the microclimate created by surrounding vegetation. Stone and timber maintain steady interior temperatures, and solar exposure is carefully moderated to reduce energy demand. Solar panels supply power to the upper level, supporting an efficient daily rhythm.
Vegetation across the terraces filters light and air, producing subtle changes in temperature as one moves through the house. These strategies give Villa Nuri an ease that feels consistent with its hillside setting.
The project combines a solid concrete base with a prefabricated steel framework above. This hybrid system allows the house to address the hillside with precision while opening the upper level to expansive views. The team adjusted materials according to function: the base remains sheltered and enclosed, while the upper areas rely on lighter elements to achieve openness toward both the ocean and the mountains.
secondary rooms follow the slope on a middle level with clear views toward the trees
The client describes the house as a place suspended between views of the canopy and the architecture itself: ‘I saw an article about Casa Flotanta years ago and thought it was such an incredible house. So when I bought the lot and began searching for an architect, I knew I had to find the person who designed it.
‘I visited the website and was immediately drawn to the projects I found there. When I finally met Benjamin, I realized he was not only a brilliant architect but also someone with an open mind, someone I could truly collaborate with on the house.
‘My favorite place in the house is floating at the end of the cantilevered pool. I can look out at the beautiful view while floating ten meters over the ground. I’m almost like a bird! I can then turn around and appreciate the beautiful architecture of the house.’
a concrete base supports lighter steel and timber structures as the house rises
cross ventilation moves through open facades, high ceilings, and long corridors
the house creates a calm connection to the canopy where birds pass through freely
interior surfaces combine local craft with warm timber and selective cobalt accents
project info:
project title: Villa Nuri
architect: Studio Saxe | @studiosaxe
location: Reserva Conchal, Costa Rica
completion: 2025
photography: © Alvaro Fonseca – Depth Lens | @depth.lens
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