A Concrete House in a Green Forest
Ever imagined yourself spending your vacation surrounded by concrete? The Art Villa holiday home in the Costa Rican jungle is a concrete structure that was inspired by the rigid works of Brazilian architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha and the wild jungle that surrounds it.




Ever imagined yourself spending your vacation surrounded by concrete?
The Art Villa holiday home in the Costa Rican jungle is a concrete structure that was inspired by the rigid works of Brazilian architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha and the wild jungle that surrounds it. This abode is part of the Art Villas resort in Playa Hermosa, which includes a diversity of rentable houses.
To bring their concrete vision to life, Refuel Works, led by Jan Skoupý and Zbyněk Ryška, collaborated with architectural firm Formafatal to build the rentable 570-square-metrehouse.
From the outside, the flat shape and monochrome hue of the residence, along with its extended concrete pool instantly catches visitors’ eyes. Upon entering that space, guests are welcomed by large glass doors that invite them into a wood deck that surrounds the villa as well as bare walls that are meant to leave the spotlight to design and natural elements such as plants and water.
Vacationers can choose to spend their time on the top floor relaxing near the living areas, kitchen, five bedrooms and the swimming pool or on the bottom floor where they can occupy themselves with recreational spaces such as a gym and playroom, and utility rooms.
The two floors; however, include elements other than textured concrete. In the main living spaces, the floors are covered with polished light-reflecting concrete while the bedrooms and bathrooms are embellished with mismatched ornamental cement tiles from Nicaragua. In addition to track lights that pass over the ceilings, eccentric lights also add a lively touch to this space, including the circular black and white light fixture that oversees a shallow pond at the entrance.
Refuel Works’ studios also ensured to add wood furnishings using teak and Brazilian IPE wood as well as a colorful panorama in the kitchen by including ombre painted stools and a custom watercolor jungle scene tile.
- date publishedDecember 15, 2021
- categoryTravels
- original sourceDezeen↗