ATREVIDA HOUSE

Casa Atrevida is a landmark project in bamboo architecture in Costa Rica and the tropics. This house, located on the Osa Peninsula facing the ocean, combines structural innovation and respect for the natural environment.

It is a pioneering work in the country for using guadua bamboo as the main structure, promoting green building and significantly reducing the carbon footprint. The two-story structure, made entirely of bamboo and earthquake-resistant, was built by trained local personnel, demonstrating the viability of the material for tropical hospitality buildings.

This bamboo house encourages a lifestyle open to the landscape: it is immersed in the jungle, close to a river and the beach. It also includes a caretaker’s house built using the same technique. Its layout is organized around a central walkway open on both floors, which distributes five rooms with private bathrooms.

The lightweight construction system optimizes transportation and reduces the environmental footprint. The prefabricated walls have three degrees of transparency—screen, wood lattice, and fiber cement—and the structure was raised above the ground to adapt to the high water table and heavy rains, also allowing for the resolution of the sewage system and swimming pool.

The green roof over the common living and dining area helps to cool the space and creates a scenic garden on the second level. Thanks to its bioclimatic design, the house does not require air conditioning, taking advantage of natural shade and cross ventilation.

Casa Atrevida is a special piece of architecture in Puerto Jiménez, Osa Peninsula, being a self-sufficient energy island, with photovoltaic systems, solar heaters, and a solar pool pump.

This project has won many awards. It received the Grand Prize at the 2012 Architecture Biennial for its commitment to sustainability, incorporating bamboo as a construction system and its ability to adapt and integrate into the humid tropical environment. The design was also recognized for its incorporation of regenerative landscaping and its interior design, which was simple in its elements but rich in tropical character, Costa Rican art, and craftsmanship.

Casa Atrevida is one of our most important works due to its relevance over the years as a benchmark for sustainable contemporary tropical architecture, harmoniously integrating tropical design and the use of sustainable materials.