Lets get down to brass tacks shall we? How is the design shaping up?
In case you have not read, or did not recall, the basic plan reflects the organic proposal, Proposal B, below. For this reason, I will henceforth refer to the project as Plan B.
The organic approach meant a single horizontal volume, with a master bedroom anchoring the structure to the ground on one end, and a series of steel piers on the other. The house is a light, and airy, and leaves a very small footprint on the earth. It is long, 5 modules long, each module being 5x5 meters. The total length of Plan B, therefore, is 25 meters, the length of a regulation swimming pool. The vertical element intersects the horizontal volume at the bedroom, making the home now 4 modules high as well. It is not an L, as there is a car port to the south of the home. There is a terrace on top of the vertical volume, the tower, that makes a 5th floor. Thus we are 5 long, and 5 wide. The tower, however, is thinner than the master bedroom and the kitchen, which make up its lower levels. This slenderness is makes the vertical push elegant, and the interior space, intimate.
While we all walked the land, Guillermo, Alex and Natalia discovered what W and I had the day before...the land is more versatile that we had previously assumed. The grade is not unpleasant after an initial drop from the road, and then maintains a very meandering slope until the bottom of the property. Alex pointed out that the plot lines seem to echo natural instruments, the road, the creek, and several large trees.
The second observation made by DatumZero is that the house should be oriented more westerly. we walked out the site orientation and the house will now genuflect to the setting sun. The land supports the long raised horizontal volume like this without too much length added to the supports.
Noticing that the view to Playa Pelada is a lot more access able than previously expected, Guillermo pointed out the height of the bottom floor and that the bedrooms on the northern end of the house, should go to sleep and wake to views of the beach. The trade winds will sweep directly through the house, west to east.
The tower, on the other hand, should be in a position to see over Howie's land to Playa Guillones. This is very important to me. Guillermo estimates that from the mezzanine level to the upper level, I should be able to see the white sands of Playa Guillones. I don't know how he knows this. I would love to be able to get to that height to make certain, before we plan, but the fact is that the tower will have an amazing entree to the beaches at Pelada, and more interestingly, will watch the coast line snake north to Nosara and Ostional, and by turning east again, I should be able to look into the valley, seeing thunderheads mount up in the wet season, and seeing the santa cruz mountains in the dry season.
That should give you a basic idea of the plan. From here we can talk about the details.
As I said, we reoriented the house itself, to face the west. The house will be constructed between the large Pechote and Cocobolo trees in the middle of the property. I thought I had a picture of this, but I cannot now find it. Guillermo discussed with me the driveway, eventually focusing on an approach that will smooth the line from the road to the house, and the driveway tot he south of the house. Yik drive ways. necessary, but generally ugly, especially up in the mountains where I will need something to get to the beach, even if only an ATV. I doubt it thought. I will need a truck. I want the range to surf Marbella and see Costa Rica.
The rest of the details I learned on a long, long, long trip into San Jose. Without belaboring this blog, note: the trip to San Jose takes at least 7 hours when you are stuck behind trucks through the mountains, and stuck in traffic through the city. We got their late, and Alex and Natalia had understandably already retired for the evening, through Guillermo stayed and we talked from 7-10. [note: this caused W and I to miss our dinner plans across town with mohit and Eliana. I will have to make it up to all three of them one day]. I will tell more later. For now, I have to get back to the practice that is funding this enterprise.
In case you have not read, or did not recall, the basic plan reflects the organic proposal, Proposal B, below. For this reason, I will henceforth refer to the project as Plan B.
The organic approach meant a single horizontal volume, with a master bedroom anchoring the structure to the ground on one end, and a series of steel piers on the other. The house is a light, and airy, and leaves a very small footprint on the earth. It is long, 5 modules long, each module being 5x5 meters. The total length of Plan B, therefore, is 25 meters, the length of a regulation swimming pool. The vertical element intersects the horizontal volume at the bedroom, making the home now 4 modules high as well. It is not an L, as there is a car port to the south of the home. There is a terrace on top of the vertical volume, the tower, that makes a 5th floor. Thus we are 5 long, and 5 wide. The tower, however, is thinner than the master bedroom and the kitchen, which make up its lower levels. This slenderness is makes the vertical push elegant, and the interior space, intimate.
While we all walked the land, Guillermo, Alex and Natalia discovered what W and I had the day before...the land is more versatile that we had previously assumed. The grade is not unpleasant after an initial drop from the road, and then maintains a very meandering slope until the bottom of the property. Alex pointed out that the plot lines seem to echo natural instruments, the road, the creek, and several large trees.
The second observation made by DatumZero is that the house should be oriented more westerly. we walked out the site orientation and the house will now genuflect to the setting sun. The land supports the long raised horizontal volume like this without too much length added to the supports.
Noticing that the view to Playa Pelada is a lot more access able than previously expected, Guillermo pointed out the height of the bottom floor and that the bedrooms on the northern end of the house, should go to sleep and wake to views of the beach. The trade winds will sweep directly through the house, west to east.
The tower, on the other hand, should be in a position to see over Howie's land to Playa Guillones. This is very important to me. Guillermo estimates that from the mezzanine level to the upper level, I should be able to see the white sands of Playa Guillones. I don't know how he knows this. I would love to be able to get to that height to make certain, before we plan, but the fact is that the tower will have an amazing entree to the beaches at Pelada, and more interestingly, will watch the coast line snake north to Nosara and Ostional, and by turning east again, I should be able to look into the valley, seeing thunderheads mount up in the wet season, and seeing the santa cruz mountains in the dry season.
That should give you a basic idea of the plan. From here we can talk about the details.
As I said, we reoriented the house itself, to face the west. The house will be constructed between the large Pechote and Cocobolo trees in the middle of the property. I thought I had a picture of this, but I cannot now find it. Guillermo discussed with me the driveway, eventually focusing on an approach that will smooth the line from the road to the house, and the driveway tot he south of the house. Yik drive ways. necessary, but generally ugly, especially up in the mountains where I will need something to get to the beach, even if only an ATV. I doubt it thought. I will need a truck. I want the range to surf Marbella and see Costa Rica.
The rest of the details I learned on a long, long, long trip into San Jose. Without belaboring this blog, note: the trip to San Jose takes at least 7 hours when you are stuck behind trucks through the mountains, and stuck in traffic through the city. We got their late, and Alex and Natalia had understandably already retired for the evening, through Guillermo stayed and we talked from 7-10. [note: this caused W and I to miss our dinner plans across town with mohit and Eliana. I will have to make it up to all three of them one day]. I will tell more later. For now, I have to get back to the practice that is funding this enterprise.
posted by warnerk at
3:03 PM
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