074 PERSPECTIVE

INTERIORS La Reserva / Costa Rica

075 PERSPECTIVE
Costa Ricas vivid colours and culture
provide ample inspiration for the design
and architecture of La Reserva
maqine a day in Lropical paradise. NaLure
enLhusiasLs Lake lonq hikes Lhrouqh hilly,
Lropical loresL Lerrain here in Ouepos, a
small Lown on CosLa Rica's wesL coasL. Bird
and animal lovers revel in Lhe sLunninqly
diverse ecosysLem ol nearby Manual AnLonio
NaLional Park. Sun lovers absorb brillianL rays on
Lhe sandy Pacilic Ocean beaches, while surlers
ride some ol Lhe besL waves on Lhe planeL.
1he houses aL La Reserva ResorL CommuniLy
susLain Lhe love ol naLure LhaL brinqs people Lo
CosLa Ri ca. 1hei r conLemporary, orqani c
archiLecLural sLyle incorporaLes many vernacular
characLerisLics indoors and ouL. No Lwo homes
are alike, because each desiqn is unique Lo Lhe
Lopoqraphy ol iLs loL. 1rees and qardens have
been incorporaLed inLo each home's inLerior
archiLecLure. Cenerous ouLdoor livinq spaces and
Lerraces allow homeowners Lo opLimise Lheir
en|oymenL ol Lhe Lropical weaLher.
"1he 8 loLs are divided beLween ocean,
mounLain, and |unqle views. Nine are locaLed on
Lhe ridqeline ol Lhe properLy, which siLs aLop Lhe
mounLain and has breaLhLakinq ocean views. 1he
oLher nine loLs have parLial ocean, mounLain,
and/or |unqle views," says Donielle Fish, qeneral
manaqer ol Lhe residenLial developmenL.
1hese views and a naLural, naLive leel were
inLeqral Lo Lhe acre developmenL's desiqn.
Developers lrom NorLh America and Lurope
have all buL Lurned CosLa Rica inLo a neocolony,
and brouqhL a ranqe ol archiLecLural Lypes LhaL
have LhreaLened Lo eliminaLe Lhe counLry's
characLer. 1haL's anLiLheLical Lo American
developer Mike CarLer's desires.
"CarLer has Lravelled around Lhe world and
he loves Lo be on Lhe waLer. When he was
oriqinally desiqninq Lhis, he said he wanLed a
properLy LhaL blended inLo Lhe landscape when
viewed lrom Lhe ocean. He didn'L wanL Lhinqs Lo
sLick ouL, buL Lo be conducive Lo Lhe naLural
Lerrain," Fish said.
CarLer meL his equal in CosLa Rican (or 1ican)
archiLecL Andres Brenes. Brenes, respecLs Lhe
local archiLecLural vernacular ol Lhe Lown ol
Ouepos. On almosL every ouLdoor nook is some
lorm ol relaxaLion. 1here is a barbecue or dininq
area, a wadinq or swimminq pool, a quieL readinq
nook or mediLaLion space, an exercise space or
roolLop sunninq corner. lnside, bounLilul bay
windows brinq Lhe ouLdoors in by lraminq ouLdoor
views. Wide, airy rooms have hiqh ceilinqs lor
naLural venLilaLion and ample naLural liqhLinq.
1here are handcuL hanqinq liqhL sculpLures
LhaL decoraLe some ol Lhe residences, and also
chicharron, a poL used Lo cook pork LhaL's
prominenL in CenLral and SouLh America Lhese
have been repurposed and liLLed inLo Lhe desiqn
as a baLhroom sink.
OLher i nLeri or Louches i ncl ude naLi ve
luscious lruiL and planL hues on Lhe walls and
lurniLure, cool Lile lloors, and expansive qlass or
local wood doors. NaLural wood and sLone
lurLher help Lo brinq in Lhe ouLdoors, Lo help
owners remember where Lhey are.
"1he linishes are everyone's lavouriLe. We
like Lo Lie in Lhe local llair Lo remind Lhe owner
LhaL Lhey're in anoLher culLure. We have piqmenL
dyed plasLer walls, spliLbamboo cane ceilinqs,
oiledrubbed bronze handcralLed railinqs, and
cusLommade qraniLe lloor Liles," Fish says. "We
work wiLh many local arLisans Lo creaLe a unique
sLyle LhaL embodies inLernaLional sLandards wiLh
CosLa Rican arLisLry Louches."
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Native
& Natural
076
PERSPECTIVE
INTERIORS La Reserva / Costa Rica

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