Among the dense tropical jungle, there is a private residence selected by Formafatal. The project is located in Playa Hermosa, near the city of Uvita in Costa Rica, at the foot of a hill. This recondite hidden paradise is the site selected by the owners for the project, a habitable prismatic object that is part of pavilions scattered on the site.

The sober proposal has clear references of the Costa Rican traditions, to the meeting in collaboration with different local artists. The project merges the living culture of the place with contemporary lifestyles, oscillating between luxury and adventure that geographic nature fosters.
Formafatal, achieves the dissolution of the limits between exterior and interior from simple geometry. Using oversized aluminum perforated plates that have the dual function of sifting in natural light and rising vertically to allow for spatial fluidity. With coatings and treatments mixed between local tradition and Japanese techniques, the plates reveal the passage of time due to the visible wear and tear on their tones.

Revaluing the movement within the house, all the interior compartments can be moved to give more space to the spaces, which can be understood in sections beyond the limits of the enclosure. An interior in warm and earthy tones that are complemented by the furniture and paintings that, again, integrate local tradition and international contemporaneity.
 

Project description by Formafatal

Atelier Villa

Atelier Villa was designed as a private residence for the investor and his family.

Nestled against a steep slope, the 26-metre-long prismatic object partially levitates over lush tropical vegetation. Looking outside, there is only the distant ocean or green hills as far as the eye can see; the back wall facing the driveway and the neighbouring villas is intentionally windowless, to maintain privacy.

The first and foremost priority is not only the idea of “erasing boundaries between interior and exterior” but also highlighting constructional simplicity and pure lines (pura vida >> pura arquitectura). The constructional system consists of a steel frame with a span of 4x4m.

Discreet wall colours in combination with the green roof allow the villa to really blend in with its surroundings. The ocean and jungle-oriented façades are fitted with large-size aluminium perforated sections which do not heat up in the sun and are rust-resistant. If pulled up, they double as canopies. The scale and pattern of perforation is different on each of the sections, thus creating an exciting play of light and shadow inside. The panels’ special coating is in the colour of COR-TEN. The full back wall is in charred timber cladding treated with Shou Sugi Ban, an old Japanese technique of weather- and age-proofing the wood.

Disposition-wise, the villa possesses the same minimalistic spirit as its shape suggests. The utility and storage rooms, bathrooms and the kitchen are placed along the back wall.

The layout of the rest of the house is very open; the boundaries between the inside and the outside world are gone and the whole space seems like a roofed terrace.

Lightweight sliding partition walls may serve as a tool to create private zones and shake the space up as needed. The patio reveals an infinity pool, partly roofed and therefore protected from the scorching sun.

The whole interior is in warm, earthy tones of natural materials. All of the furnishings, apart from the lounge and dining chairs, are tailor-designed for this villa and custom-made. Commissioned in the area, the major part of the furniture was made with the help of local craftsmen. Some components were custom-made in the Czech Republic and transported to the site.

As for the Czech manufacturers, we decided to opt for the renowned Czech glass-making company Bomma and their Shibari lights that go hand in hand with the overall tropical feel of the interiors.

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Architects
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Formafatal. Archtiects.- Designer.- Dagmar Štěpánová. Co-designer.- Martina Homolková. 
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Collaborators
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Landscape architect - greenery and garden elements.- atelier Flera.
Realization of screed surfaces.- Different Design.
Jungle watercolor painting.- Můj Originál.
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Client
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Area
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Built-up area.- 326 m².
Usable floor area.- 298 m².
Site size.- 25 000 m².
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Dates
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Project year.- 2017 - 2018.
Completion year.- 2016 - 2019 (completed in December 2019).
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Location
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Bahía Ballena, Playa Hermosa. Pérez Zeledón, provincia de Puntarenas. Costa Rica.
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Photography
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Studio Formafatal was founded by architect Dagmar Štěpánová, and the team is now integrated by Dagmar, Jan, Martina, Katarina, Iveta, Dana, Anna, and Debora. The team of friends - architects, designers, and scenographers- focused on architecture, interior design, exhibition installation, and product design.

Dagmar Štěpánová graduated from the Faculty of Architecture - Czech Technical University in Prague. After twelve years of architecture practice, she founded her own studio Formafatal, which has existed for the fifth year. The architect carefully selected each member for her studio and claims that together they form amazing team. Formafatal is like a family to her.

8-member team of architects, scenographers and designers is currently working on several commercial and residential projects not only in Czech Republic, but across the world. Formafatal studio has already won several domestic and international awards for their projects.

Already during her studies, she loved the culture and architecture of South and Central America. The Art Villas project has made her dream come true and Dagmar is currently building a branch for her Formafatal studio in Costa Rica. “You need to have dreams and follow your goal. For me it means to do everything I can to deepen my experience, to work on myself and what fills me most”.

The individual approach for each project is based on mutual understanding with the client, enthusiasm, natural collaboration, and unified conceptual solutions. They solve projects complexly from creative concept to realization, with attention to detail.
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Published on: May 21, 2020
Cite: "A prism inhabited in the tropical jungle. Atelier Villa by Formafatal" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/a-prism-inhabited-tropical-jungle-atelier-villa-formafatal> ISSN 1139-6415
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