“Solai House by Studio Saxe: A Floating Tropical Retreat in Costa Rica”

Solai House, designed by the visionary Studio Saxe, is a stunning example of modern tropical architecture, seamlessly blending with Costa Rica’s lush jungle landscape. Nestled atop a hillside in Santa Teresa, the residence unfolds as two wooden pavilions that rise gracefully above the canopy, offering uninterrupted panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. This sophisticated home embodies a balance between nature, luxury, and sustainability, creating a serene living experience that feels both elevated and grounded.

Concept: Dialogue Between Earth and Sky

The architectural concept of Solai House thrives on contrasts—a dynamic interplay between the anchored and the airborne, the protected and the open. One pavilion firmly connects with the hillside, grounding the design, while the other seems to hover, emphasizing lightness and openness. These two geometric volumes are connected by a carefully designed interstitial space, which guides circulation, frames views, and creates moments of pause and reflection.

Wooden brise-soleil slats wrap the upper pavilion, controlling sunlight and airflow while enhancing the sensation of levitation. This fragmented architectural composition fosters layered experiences of arrival, visual discovery, and a fluid relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Design: A Journey Through Nature

Access to the home is via a gentle stone path, enveloped by dense native vegetation, gradually revealing the house through layers of greenery. The residence is composed of two distinct box-shaped volumes: the lower pavilion anchored to the hillside and the elevated pavilion clad in a delicate lattice of wood slats. Meticulous craftsmanship is evident in every material junction, from teak ceilings to natural stone walls, ensuring a coherent architectural language throughout.

Large glass panels maintain thermal comfort while establishing a constant visual dialogue with the surrounding jungle. The interstitial spaces between volumes act as tranquil thresholds, connecting terraces, infinity pools, and vertical gardens. From these vantage points, residents can witness breathtaking moments of natural theater, such as the moon setting over the ocean—a framed spectacle orchestrated by the architecture itself.

Interior Architecture: A Seamless Spatial Experience

Studio Saxe guided the interior design from concept to completion, ensuring a six-year collaboration produced a unified spatial narrative. Locally sourced teak, natural stone, and earthy color palettes reflect Santa Teresa’s coastal environment. Interiors merge local craftsmanship with bespoke international elements, featuring handcrafted tiles, sculptural lighting, and custom furniture inspired by the house’s structural language.

Built-in planters bring vegetation into the home’s core, while integrated smart systems for lighting, audio, and shading enhance comfort discreetly. The result is a space that feels simultaneously raw and refined—simple in its essence, yet rich in tactile and visual detail.

Sustainability: Self-Sufficient and Environmentally Conscious

Solai House demonstrates a deep commitment to sustainable architecture. The residence is self-sufficient, with on-site rainwater collection and filtration, solar energy integration, and passive cooling strategies. The floating brise-soleil slats are crafted from responsibly harvested moso bamboo, a fast-growing, renewable material that improves climate performance while reducing solar gain.

Reforested teak and durable stone ensure longevity with minimal maintenance, while operable glass panels encourage cross-ventilation, reducing dependence on artificial climate control. Every material and system was chosen to harmonize with the surrounding environment and minimize ecological impact.

Construction: Innovative and Lightweight

The house rests on a robust concrete foundation, providing seismic stability and anchoring it securely to the terrain. Above, a lightweight prefabricated steel structure supports the wooden pavilions, minimizing site disturbance while allowing precise construction. Suspended bamboo and wood slats required innovative structural coordination to achieve their weightless, floating appearance. This hybrid approach allowed the house to emerge gradually, preserving the natural site features while achieving a refined, floating aesthetic.

Solai House: Architecture in Harmony with Nature

Solai House is a remarkable example of contemporary tropical architecture, combining elegance, sustainability, and immersive natural experiences. Studio Saxe’s masterful integration of structure, interior design, and landscape creates a residence that feels suspended between earth and sky, offering a peaceful, luxurious retreat that celebrates Costa Rica’s natural beauty.

All photographs are works of Alvaro Fonseca