Casa Bell Lloc - Concrete House Design With Sweeping Roof And Unobstructed Views On A Lush Hillside

Studio Saxe was commissioned to design a home perched on the hilltops of the town of Santa Teresa in Costa Rica. Due to the extreme pitch of the terrain, we decided to sink the private areas of bedrooms into the ground and thus allow the main living area to have the best expansive views on top with floating terraces and a pool. Benjamin G. Saxe founder and Design Director of Studio Saxe explains: “This project is a testament of how concrete can be used in Tropical Architecture to achieve low maintenance and longevity without loosing openness and deep connections to nature beyond.” In order to adapt to the topographic conditions, Studio Saxe decided to “push” the house into the ground thus creating the illusion of a one-story house from the street and only revealing its true size once inside. A series of concrete walls shield the house and disguise what will later become a powerful choreographed entrance reveal of the pool and ocean beyond. By keeping the public living spaces above and the