Costa Rica is known for its striking views, volcanoes, beaches and also rainforests. Not only is it home to all of this, it is also where the award-winning architecture firm Salagnac Architects operates.
This year, Salagnac Architects received the award for the Best Luxury Tropical Residential Architecture Study, which was awarded at the 2020 Build Architecture Awards. The award recognizes the developed contemporary tropical style of Salagnac Architects, which brings together nature, climate and human comfort.
We profiled the Guanacaste-based firm and the dynamic duo that founded it to discover how they have established a reputation in Costa Rica as being one of the best luxury tropical residential architecture firms in operation today.
Evangelina Quesada and Lucca Spendlingwimmer are architects who trained and graduated in Costa Rica. In Nosara in 2006, the duo took a leap and established Salagnac Architects with the intention of providing support for construction projects that develop and contribute to the evolution of contemporary tropical architecture.
Since their inception, Salagnac Architects have strongly believed that contemporary tropical architecture promotes the maximum integration of the building and the environment, in order to diminish the impact it causes on nature. This type of architecture achieves human comfort by means of efficient energy consumption systems, bioclimatic design strategies and advanced technology. This innovative architecture integrates, the environment, technology and aesthetics in a creative way.
At Salagnac Architects, Evangelina and Lucca offer clients a personalised and exclusive service. Each project undertaken by the practice is unique and one of a kind, having been carefully developed from architectonic analysis and research. In addition to this, the constant search for alternative construction materials and systems allows Salagnac Architects to develop projects with a high level of design and spatial quality.
Costa Rica is a country of amazing natural beauty that is known for its peaceful and relaxed lifestyle. In line with their life vision and environment, Evangelina and Lucca propose a new way of approaching luxury tropical architecture, by designing projects that promote the experience of nature and high quality of lifestyle.
Sensitivity towards nature is one of Salagnac´s qualities, and their architecture is there to let us enjoy it. The smell of the flowers waft in to the bedrooms, you can watch the hummingbirds flying around while you take a shower; the sunset, the stars, the rain, the sound of the howler monkeys, the privilege of being surrounded by nature is the most important experience of these projects, and that is why their designs connect to environment in many different ways.
Costa Rica is known as one of the happiest and most sustainable countries on Earth, based on wellbeing and longevity. Evangelina and Lucca have translated elements of Costa Rican culture into architecture. The high quality of life is achieved by thought-out spaces, the richness of simplicity and the privilege of knowledge. Costa Ricans are not impressed with how much you own; instead, they are dazzled by the wisdom of simple living. Salagnac Architects take their clients on a journey to discover these secrets through the lifestyle proposed in their designs.
Costa Rican leadership in terms of sustainability is stamped on Salagnac´s designs by the use of bioclimatic concepts and nature friendly construction methods. Another characteristic is sobriety in their use of materials and decoration, the attention to human scale, and the logic of design that leads to efficiency during construction. The use of technology such as solar energy or water efficiency are also important in their designs.
Their design methods are inspired by the reticular geometry used by historic architects, from Filippo Brunelleschi to Le Corbusier. Salagnac Architects have researched and applied the use of this type of geometric systems that provide organization, logic and harmony to their projects. It’s no wonder that different architecture schools are now using their projects as elements of study.
The 2020 Build Architecture Award was presented.
It is this extraordinary level of architecture that has seen the firm reap success, receiving countless positive reviews, a loyal client base and an impeccable portfolio of work over the years.
By connecting nature, healthier lifestyle, and architecture theory, Salagnac Architects develop projects with a high level of design and spatial quality. Looking ahead, the firm has a number of exciting projects in the pipeline, which will help them to further establish their reputation as being one of the best luxury tropical residential architecture firms. Despite the uncertainties that the recent pandemic has created, one thing that is certain is that Salagnac Architects will continue to strive to deliver excellence in each and every project that they undertake in the years to come, and the team here at BUILD is excited to see the innovative creations the firm produces.
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