sirena house by studio saxe combines beachfront and jungle living in costa rica

peeking through the palm trees of this coastal site in costa rica is a dreamy tropical residence designed by studio saxe. with the addition of landscaping by VIDA, and interiors by nosara design, the sirena house perfectly nestles into its context and combines the best of beachfront and jungle living.

all images by roberto d’ambrosio

one of the client’s main goals was to protect the existing trees onsite while enhancing the native habitat for tree and ground-dwelling animals. in other words, monkeys swinging in the trees above are a daily occurrence. upon arrival, light-colored stone walls and simple timber gates serve as an introduction to the airy, contemporary tropical architecture created by studio saxe. the driveway winds through the forest, passing tall native trees and palms before eventually the first glimpse of the house comes into view.

it can be hard to tell where the edge of the recently installed landscape of native and adapted species meets the existing forest habitat, a deliberate move by the landscape architects who have extensive experience in this part of the coast. like many of VIDA’s projects, the natural systems and tropical climate are celebrated through the design details and planning. a pedestrian bridge crossing takes visitors over the stone-lined drainage swale into a tropical entry courtyard.

despite the siting of the home being fairly prescribed, the design objective of the master plan was to allow for open beach views from all main bedrooms and living areas, without compromising the privacy of the users from the popular beach spot that lies in front. the floor plan allows for pockets of planting to be integrated to frame the building, keeping the jungle views in, but the creepy-crawlies out.

the landscaping that surrounds sirena house is designed by VIDA to be full of ‘wow’ moments from the arrival. whether you’re visiting this luxury retreat for a few minutes or weeks on end, thoughtful design touches means you’ll constantly be reminded of where you are; in a beachfront jungle paradise surrounded by costa rican wildlife and forest, wondering if you ever really need to leave.

project info:

project name: sirena house

location: costa rica

architect: studio saxe

planning and landscape design: VIDA masterplanning + design

interiors: nosara design

landscape contractor: vivero lacon

general contract: adrian alvarado

photography: roberto d’ambrosio

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom