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Collection by Chandra L Wolfe

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Sited on a remote, forested plot two hours from San José, Costa Rica, this home was designed with spiritual transcendence in mind—along with off-grid sustainability. When architect María de la Paz Alice of <span style="font-family: Theinhardt, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;">Mazpazz Arquitectur</span><span style="font-family: Theinhardt, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;">a first saw the plot in the mountains of Palmichal de Acosta, she was skeptical due to its inaccessibility. Luckily for the client—a film producer and ocean conservationist who dreamed of a place where she could disconnect—the architect was game to take on the project. Casa Salvaje, or Wild House, is an entirely autonomous stone-and-concrete home that uses geometric openings to frame its tranquil surroundings. Teaming up with interior designer Ileana Guerrero—who worked with local artisans to craft custom furnishings for the living spaces—and landscape designer Jorge Salgado, the project is a breathtaking example of architecture that connects to the earth. The home’s entrance, which the architect refers to as “the vortex,” takes the form of a concrete cube with two prominent circular openings. Crystals encrusted in the floor capture and reflect the light that passes through the overhead oculus from the sun and moon. “As you walk in, the circular window framing the mountain view is the focal point, and the sky window above immediately connects you to your surroundings,” says the architect. “I strive to create spaces that will benefit and expand people emotionally and spiritually, just as much as they do aesthetically.”</span>
Mazpazz Arquitectur